The Outsider
by Tarlouse
Summary: Everyone is lying to themselves, and the Charmed Ones face the truth head on. Will they face the truth in their lives or die living a lie?
1. The Outisder

**The Outsider**

_1901, Paris, France_

The night was alive, peaceful, yet something wasn't right, something was a miss. Quietly he shifted through the night, not seen by those who were human, walking amongst them as if he was normal, but he wasn't. His heart wasn't black, or white, he didn't know where he belonged, yet all he knew was he had to hide and remain hidden until the end of time itself. 

He walked the streets looking at the sights and sounds or grand Paris, he passed the dazzling night life of Montmartre's cafes, grand music halls and clubs. He saw the familiar faces of artists, writers, Bohemian alike he was, moving back to his own home above the Le cafe Bourscarat. He passed the brightly lit up Moulin Rouge and its many visitors, dipping his hat a few times to greet a few people before walking furthur into the shadowy part of Montmartre, where only the depressed and lost loom. He was lost, he had been for many years, so this was his place. 

Walking towards the Le cafe Bourscarat he took a key and opened his door and walked upstairs and into his dull studio. In the darkness he sat in the moonlight coming through the window and pulled off his long brown jacket, revealing his long black angellic like wings, he moaned and opened them greatful to finally release his wings from the camoflage of his coat. He wore a shirt with braces and dark brown pants. He pulled off his hat and threw it aside, then reached into his pocket to pick out a cigarette, he lit it in the darkness with a match and began to smoke as he looked out the window. 

Montmartre was beautiful and it always had been. He often spent long hours just staring and watching out of his window, just staring. He had seen many beautiful things, and people had changed over his long lifetime. He pulled out his cigarette and let out a large puff of smoke then inhaled again. Smoking wouldn't kill him, he didn't care how much he smoked, it was his only comfort in this lonely world. 

He turned back to his desk and pulled out his typewriter and began to write again. What? He didn't know anymore, and he didn't care. His life was doomed to go on forever and he couldn't stop it even if he wanted to. He typed for what seemed ages, then stopped suddenly and stared out of the window again. Something had caught his deep green eyes. He brushed his unshaven face and small beard and moustache. He pulled out another cigarette and lit it up and stared, he had seen something he hadn't seen for a very long time, and thought it was gone forever. 

He tried to get a closer look but couldn't, his short posture couldn't see any higher than he already was. He pulled out his glasses and placed them on after taking another puff of cigarette. His eyes contorted and tried to focus. He stared again but then was drawn by the nightlife and its lit up beauty below. He leant against the window and sighed, his wings lifted slightly. 

Relaxed he moved backwards after throwing his cigarette from the window to the roof below. He slowly walked over to the liquor cabinet and mixed himself a cocktail then gulped it down in one go, he turned and sat on another chair utterly defeated. Tired he decided he would nap. 

He pulled off his glasses and closing his eyes for a second he relaxed and breathed out deeply. It was then a noise disturbed his senses; 

_Clank!!_

His eyes darted open and he looked about the room, he scrambled for his glasses and placed them on. The room was silent, but he knew it was there. He listened quietly waiting for its next move, he slowly reached his hand to pick up the mirror nearby. His hands trembled, his face perspired, gleamed with sweat glowing in the moonlight from his window. He waited for what seemed forever for the creature to move again. 

_Hissss!_

He jumped upright and turned in the direction of the sound, his heart thumped heavilly in his ribcage, it felt like he was going to burst out in fear. His hands shook, his necklace rattled and his wings feathered and twitched slightly with each heartbeat. He slowly stepped across the room, his footsteps causing the floorboards to chreak with each movement. He stopped when he felt the creature brush behind him. 

Turning around he saw it, its silluette a clear image as it stood on the window cill. It had a lizard like tail, and stood upright with it's rooster-like head staring directly upwards. One of its legs was up and its wings were up as it was ready to fly out the window. He grinned, realising it was just a little one, probably a hatchling. 

"Such a cute one aren't we" he said quietly under his breath as he walked up behind it with the mirror. His hands were moist with sweat and still trembling, even when they were small he had seen what they did to people in once second. He had seen people have their skin burnt off in an instant when they touched them, and even with just a small dose they were left in pain and slowly died of the poison. He had survived one such encounter barely, finding an antidote for the poison. Other victims were killed by its stare, deadly to anyone who looks at it, even itself and also saw its deadly fire filled breath, burning anything it touched. 

As he quietly moved behind it, it moved realising he was there and looked directly at him, he clasped his eyes closed and raised the mirror in front of his face, trembling he waited and didn't dare move. He reached for a pencil and held it firmly in his other hand. He slowly edged his way towards the creature. Lifting up the pencil when he was only inches from the creature he brought it down with such force, he heard the creature hiss in pain and moved back as it flew towards him. Stumbling to the floor he watched as the creature flew around the room wildly then finally fell out of the window and to the streets below. 

Standing up slowly he saw something which caught his eye, and proved to him it still existed. Sirius shone brightly in the sky. 

"It's back" he whispered. 

_Present Day, San Fransisco, California_

_'She's such a flirt' _Piper thought to herself as she watched her younger sister dance on the dance floor, she hadn't seen Cole for a few weeks so she was on the floor looking for a 'temporary man' in Phoebe's own terms. Piper was a little annoyed at her sisters impatience, Cole had been in and out for the last few months and Phoebe was getting annoyed with him. The middle sister looked away and back to serving customers at the counter and talking to her older sister. 

"What is up with Phoebe?" Prue asked eyeing her sister on the dance floor. Piper smiled sarcastally. 

"She was looking for a 'temporary man'" Piper replied grinning. She placed a glass down and leant against the bar. 

"Will Cole be happy with that though?" Prue asked with a confused glance, she took a drink from her glass and Piper shook her head. She looked at her watch and sighed. Piper looked at Prue with a concerned glance. 

"What's wrong sis?" she asked trying to perk her up. 

"No man, me lonely, I might as well go home" Prue said with a frown across her face. Piper felt sorry for Prue and touched her hand comfortingly. 

"Don't worry about it, I'll be home in an hour or so later anyway, so I'll catch up with you okay," Piper explained with a gentle smile. Prue laughed slightly and stood up. "I don't think miss 'flirt with her temporary man' will be home soon though, although I will try to get her butt home before she get kicked by a demon" 

Everyone at the bar stared at Piper because of the last word she mentioned. 

"Demon-like," Piper tried to think up something quietly. "mother, God she is just a bitch" Everyone continued on their business and Prue scowled her. 

"Demon-like mother?" Prue said teasingly. "couldn't you try a little harder" she said indicating it with her fingers. 

"What like your - 'stairs are sobering'?" Piper said with a grin. Prue growled at Piper then stood up and smacked her playfully. 

"I'll see you later then sis" Prue said as she left. Piper waved goodbye and turned to face the dance floor again, this time her sister was coming towards her. Piper began to rinse out some more glasses, she wanted to avoid conversation for now as she was a little annoyed with her sisters immature actions towards the absence of Cole, her prayers were answered when she noticed Leo indicating he wanted to speak with her immediately. 

Before Phoebe could speak Piper brushed by her and towards her husband, hushing him into the backroom Piper smiled and kissed Leo happy to see him again, he had been away for a while on business but she was glad to have him back for now. 

"What brings you here Mr?" Piper asked kissing him again. Leo smiled and pulled away slightly his face serious written all over it. "what?" Piper asked, worry beginning to rise within her. 

"It's the Elders again," Leo began. "they have another major assignment and because it is in a different country I can't contact you and you can't contact me, that worries me Piper" Leo said with a worried look on his face, he brushed his hand against Piper's smooth and concerned look with a mixture of dissappointment. 

"Why?" Piper asked quietly. 

"What if something goes wrong when I'm gone, I can't help you guys out," Leo said his voice beginning to race. "I couldn't loose you again" Piper closed her eyes for a moment thinking, she agreed with what he was saying but what if many lives were at stake here, and she was the reason Leo never went, and he could make a difference to the situation, unknown or otherwise. He had to go, she decided to herself. 

Meanwhile Phoebe had been sitting near the bar for a while now, worried about what Piper and Leo were talking about, or perhaps they were having a bit of a private moment in the storeroom, she thought back with a wicked grin of the time she walked in on them just about to make-out in the store room. She giggled to herself and asked for another drink. As she took the drink she felt a hand tap on her shoulder, she turned around and found herself face to face with a handsome young man. 

He had deep blue eyes and blonde hair and he seemed to glow, something was special about him, she could feel it. 

"Hi there," he said with a small wave. "I noticed you from across the room and I had to speak with you" Phoebe writhed with excitement. 

"Oh and you thought you could get something from me I guess" Phoebe said smirking. He laughed slightly and extended his hand politely. 

"I Ewan" he said with a smile and the shake of his hand. 

"Phoebe," Phoebe began, then in her deepest voice she added; "Phoebe, Halliwell" Ewan laughed and sat beside her. 

"Are you from around here," Phoebe asked curiously, "you just look like an out of towner" Ewan laughed and blushed. 

"Do I look that obvious?" Phoebe nodded. 

"As if you had _'I am not from around here'_ printed on your forehead" Ewan laughed in response and Phoebe followed along, she couldn't believe what a nice guy had just walked up to her, and cute too. He shifted slightly and ordered a drink for himself and Phoebe. 

"The truth is I am not the one who's after you although if my friend has no luck I'll be trying" Phoebe didn't know whether to feel flattered or annoyed, but she smiled in response. 

"Is he as nice as you?" Phoebe asked excitedly. Ewan stood up and lifted her up with him gracefully. 

"Well, let you decide my Queen" he said leading her away. It was then when Piper walked from the store room alone, she noticed that Phoebe was walking off with another man now. She growled under her breath. 

Phoebe was soon led out of the club and into a dark ally. She became worried that this wasn't just a visit from a cute guy, but an attack of some kind. 

"You're friend wants to meet me in a dark and gloomy ally, how normal" Phoebe said emphasising the word 'normal' Ewan suddenly turned rough and yank her hard holding her arms behind her back. Suddenly another man appeared from behind a dumpster. Phoebe screamed and tried to get away but found her self surrounded. A few more men appeared, with long black coats and hats covering their faces in the night. Two more men grabbed her and gagged her. Phoebe was afraid now, that her life was going to end right here and now. 

Struggling again she managed to break free momentarilly and screamed out for help, but it was then when one of the men grabbed her and shoved her to the ground with much force. She landed and the air escaped her crushed lungs, she tried to scream again but this time she was greeted with a punch in the face. 

"Sit still bitch, we don't want to kill you" one of the men said. She looked and noticed a man pulled out a syringe, she began to pull away again, her eyes widened at the size of the syringe. _'No!!!' _her mind screamed out, they moved in on her and began their work, she felt the needle prick her skin and begin to steal her of her blood when suddenly there was a sound from behind them. 

_Rattle!_

The men all turned and loosened their grip on the young witch, Phoebe moved away and grabbed her arm in which the syringe had pierced, she looked behind the men to see a figure standing in the darkness. She stood there for a second, in the cold ally, shaking in fear and the pain in her arm and chest from behind pushed to the ground. She rubbed her face and felt a bruise begin to develop on her cheek. 

All the men began to move in on the stranger, they pulled out some clubs and guns but as they grew closer the man did nothing but stand there. Phoebe watched on in amazment, then realised that the man who saved her was now in trouble. She was about to jump out to stop them when sudden two wings sprang from the strangers back, it caused the men to jump back in fear, and Phoebe too, who turned around and bolted. 

She heard nothing but screams behind her and her heart thumping in her temples, it echoed through her head as if she was in a cavern of some sort. She didn't know which direction she was running in, but just that she had to get away from this monster and those men. She turned her head to see if it was following her, but she saw nothing. Relieved she turned to face front on again and to her surprise she saw the winged man before her, his arms crossed firmly, he was shorter than her, but seemed huge in the darkness of the ally. 

Phoebe trembled and watched in fear as she couldn't move. Her heart thudded in her ribcage and her hands trembled nervously as her eyes watched his hands reach for his jacket pocket. He was going to kill her too, shoot her dead perhaps or use a demonic weapon, if that was what he was. She closed her eyes waiting for the blow, the blow which would end the pain and fear she was feeling from both her body and mind, instead she was greeted with the sound of a lighter. 

She opened her eyes and saw he was smoking a cigarette now, and handed one to Phoebe, she shook her head and declined. He sighed and placed it back into his pocket. He began to pace, Phoebe never took her eyes off him, not for a second. She watched as his wings relaxed down to his sides again, he hunched in his jacket and leant up against the brick walls of the ally and stared away for a moment taking a few puffs of his smoke, he then looked over at Phoebe who was still staring. 

"Haven't you seen an angel before?" he said in a raspy voice. He sounded rough, but yet seemed gentle to Phoebe. Phoebe seemed a little alarmed by the word 'angel' but thought to herself she had seen too many weird things not to really complain about seeing this guy now. 

"I've seen angels before, they just never had wings and looked so stereotyped" 

"Well welcome to the realworld" he snarled at Phoebe, Phoebe stepped back and felt a little hurt by his remark, but stood there for a moment just looking at him. After a few minute he became annoyed and lit another smoke and stared at Phoebe again. 

"I saved your life, that is it, you don't have to stand there now and stare at me" he commented. 

"Who were those men?" Phoebe asked quietly. 

"None of your business!" he snapped back. Phoebe flinched and slowly inched towards the angel and sat down beside him. He looked away and continued to smoke heavilly. 

"Okay then, at least tell me your name?" Phoebe asked quietly. 

"Shut up!" the man shouted back at her. Annoyed he turned away. 

"Shut up? That is a weird name?" Pheobe said sarcastically. The angel glared at her and lifted the smoke from his mouth. 

"Don't you ever shut up or are you just annoying all the time?" he asked Phoebe, Phoebe nodded and grinned back. The angel gave in and sighed. 

"Jacob" 

Phoebe pulled back a little surprised, "That is a nice name why wouldn't you tell me earlier?" 

"No one wants to know an angel, especially a rebellious one," he said coughing slightly, he put out his smoke and looked at Phoebe after a moment of silence. "I'd just got home young lady, and ignore that this ever happened" Phoebe was shocked and as Jacob began to walk away she shouted out at him; 

"I can't just forget that a heap of men ambushed me for my blood and that an angel saved my life and believe me I've seen weirder stuff than that!" Phoebe noticed he wasn't listening and ran after him yelling; 

"You can't just leave!" she said louder this time. He kept on walking not turning around. "come on, I can help perhaps!!" Phoebe yelled stopping, still Jacob kept walking away. 

Phoebe rushed after Jacob and grabbed him turning him around, it was in that moment the same ringing sensation hit her ears and the black and white images struck her mind. She saw hatred and emptiness, pain and dispair. It was then she came back to reality and saw Jacob eye to eye, he looked at her for a moment and she stared into his lonely green stare. 

"You don't want to get involved, believe me" he said quietly turning away again he kept on walking until he was out of sight. Phoebe looked at the ground for a while, she saw so much pain in his eyes and felt she had to help him or heal him through something but she couldn't figure out what it was. Turning around Phoebe made her way back to the front of the club. 

Each step echoed in her mind, her mind was only filled with the images of those lonely eyes she looked into. She reached the front of the club to find Piper outside calling for her. Piper turned around and immediately noticed the bruise on Phoebe's cheek beginning to swell. 

"Phoebe! What happened to you?" Piper asked concerned. Phoebe brushed her off and sat down at the sidewalk. Piper noticed Phoebe's uneasiness and slowly sat beside her and looked at her for a moment before speaking. 

"I'm sorry I was annoyed at you Phoebe, but it was just Cole..." 

"No it isn't that Piper," Phoebe began. "I just meant the worlds most lonliest guy," Phoebe began. "or angel should I say" Piper looked at Phoebe and smiled a little and rubbed her sisters back comfortly. 

"Well I wouldn't call all guys angels..." Piper began. 

"No Piper, he was a _real_ angel," Phoebe interupted. "a fallen one to be exact" Piper was utterly confused and Phoebe looked over and noticed it was written all over her face. "he saved me from some men who attacked me" 

"Phoebe, you should get some medical attention then" Piper said immiately concerned for her little sister. 

"No Piper, I'm fine, I'm more worried about Jacob" 

"Who's Jacob now?" Piper asked even more confused now. 

"The angel" Phoebe said back at her sister. Piper had seen weird things before too but her sister was beginning to worry her, Piper touched her sisters cheek and looked into her eyes. 

"Are you sure you are alright Phoebe?" Piper asked again this time even more concerned. 

"Piper, I met an angel tonight named Jacob," Phoebe said pulling away annoyed, she stood up and looked down at her sister, "we have to find out why the hell those men attacked me and took some of my blood" 

"They took blood too!!" Piper asked even more confused. 

"Never mind just listen to me on the way home!" Phoebe said pulling her sister behind her. 

Piper grabbed her keys and told her second manager to close up for her and the two left immediately, as Piper drove she turned to her sister; 

"Okay spill" she said arching a brow. 

"Okay some men attacked me, they had a syringe and took some of my blood, I thought I was dead but then Jacob turned up" Phoebe explained in a rapid pace. Piper looked at Phoebe and smiled. 

"Mind taking a breath as you speak" she quipped. Phoebe narrowed her eyes. 

"Piper I'm trying to be serious here" she whined. 

"Okay, keep going" Piper said concerntrating on the road again. 

"It was then when I spoke to him I found out he was an angel and that he has something to do with those guys, but he refused my help" Phoebe said the last part quietly. 

"Did you tell that we were.?" Piper began. 

"No," Phoebe replied. "I should of, he would of believed me then" Phoebe looked away for a moment then back into Piper's momentary gaze again. "I just felt he was in so much pain, and after seeing that premontion, I saw it all, his whole life was just one long torture" Phoebe said looking to the floor of the car. Piper felt her sisters pain and gently touched her hand. 

"First of all we have to find out who these men are and if they fall under the 'supernatural' cadegory" Piper said with a reassuring smile. As they drove towards home someone watched from a distance on the top of a buildings roof, he lifted his hand and took another suck of his cigarette and kept on watched as only he could. 

--- 

_"I wonder why Piper is so late?"_ Prue asked herself again. She was still up and staring at her watch and the grandfather clock every five seconds, it read 11:46 again, and it was getting later by the second. Prue was thinking about all the possibilities through her mind, what if a demon attacked, what if they got into an accident, the what if's kept going and they were driving her insane. It was then when she heard a car pull up in the driveway, she hurried to the window and opened the curtain to reveal it was Piper's jeep. 

Prue let out a sigh of relief and hurried over to the front door just in time to meet her sisters there. 

"Hey?" Prue said with a perky grin. Instead she was greeted with the sad looks of her sisters. Piper and Phoebe replied "Hi" simultaniously then walked directly to the kitchen and sat down. It was then in the direct light Prue noticed Phoebe's bruised face. 

"What the?" 

"Long story Prue, I'll explain in a moment, we have other problems too" Piper began. Prue and Pheobe looked at Piper concerned, then Phoebe realised that Piper hadn't mentioned anything about Leo on the way home. 

"Is it about Leo?" Phoebe asked. 

"Yes, sort of," Piper responded as she walked towards the freezer, she pulled out some peas and tossed them over to Phoebe. "put it on your face" Prue handed Phoebe a towel to cushion the peas, then sat beside Phoebe waiting for Piper to speak. 

"Leo is leaving for a while" Piper said quietly. 

"What? Again?" Phoebe whined. "so now your man is bailing too" 

"No, he is on a strict business thing again, he can't tell me where and even he doens't know exactly what is going on" Piper muttered quietly. There was annoyance in her voice. 

"What does that have to do with us?" Prue asked finally after a small silence. 

"He can't heal us for the next few weeks so we can't get into trouble" 

"But trouble is our middle name" Phoebe whined, Piper and Prue struck Phoebe an annoyed glance. Phoebe pulled back and said "sorry" in a childlike voice. 

"What makes it worse is Phoebe was just attacked" Piper began. 

"Well I kind of figured that one out already" Prue commented with a small grin, it then turned to seriousness again. Piper leant against the chair and began to explain what had happened again. After much discussion they decided to sleep on it and start investigating the following morning. 

--- 

Prue awoke to the sound of the alarm going off in her ears, she snapped her eyes open and noticed the time read _11:33_ in the morning. _"Shit, I'm going to be late"_ she thought to herself then realised it was Sunday morning. She slowly got out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown. She looked at herself in the mirror. She was a mess of hair and make-up smudged all over her face. _"Geez Prue, any wonder you didn't pick up a guy, they know what the morning appearance is like"_ she laughed to herself and left the room. 

She was greeted to the smells of bacon and eggs downstairs and the soft murmering of the television in the kitchen. She slowly walked around the corner, expecting to see Piper there cooking, instead she saw Phoebe who was reading the book whilst cooking. Prue walked up to the bench and placed the kettle on the stove to boil. 

"Coffee?" she asked Phoebe. She shook her head in reply. Prue sat down beside Phoebe and looked at the Book of Shadows with her. "hard time sleeping this morning, you're usually up the latest" Phoebe smiled slightly and went to check on her breakfast. 

"You want any?" Phoebe asked, Prue shook her head. 

"I'm sure we'll find out who those men were," Prue began reassuringly. "it will just be a harder task than usual, just relax" 

"Prue, I'm worried though," Phoebe began to speak really fast. "I mean, remember last time someone got our blood," she grimly recalled the Dr Williamson situation a few years back, and Prue gulped nervously too. "I don't want history to repeat itself, we could get exposed" 

"But we won't" Prue said trying to calm her sister down. 

"Won't what?" a voice came from the doorway, Piper stood there half dressed. She walked into the kitchen and stood beside her sisters, the first thing she noticed was the eggs. 

"Are you trying to kill yourself, these eggs are terrible" Piper said sarcasitcally. 

"Don't worry I'm not hungry now anyway" Phoebe murmered as she walked off, picking up the book she left the room. Piper looked over at Prue surprised as she didn't hear the whole conversation. 

"Was it something I said?" Piper asked. 

"No, she is just having trouble finding out who those men were, she can't rest until she finds out" Prue replied. 

"Still after her close call last night I think we should leave this type of situation alone, and not look for trouble" Piper said worriedly. She was concerned that the attack had caused her sister to feel some aftershocks, and felt guilty for not calling an ambulance or even taking her younger sister for a check up. _"Which reminds me..."_Piper thought to herself. 

"I've got an appointment this morning for my yearly check-up, afterwards I'm going shopping, wanna come?" she asked her older sister. Prue nodded eagerly, it was just then the kettle whistled. 

"Why don't you ask Phoebe to come too, it might take her mind off the situation for a while" Prue suggested. Piper agreed, she hated seeing her sister get all flustered like she was, usually it was her job. Piper smiled at the thought and left the room. 

--- 

_"I don't know why I even came..." _Phoebe thought to herself, she was sitting at the mall waiting for her sisters to come back with some food from the cafeteria. _"I'm stuck watching their shopping whilst some weird men are rampaging around stealing blood"_ Phoebe sat cross armed waiting for her sisters to return. "This is soooo boring" she whined under her breath, she began to tap her feet on the ground in fustration. 

It was then something caught her eye. She turned around and looked out the huge glass windows of the building, she swore she had saw something move around outside. She closed her eyes and sighed, she was probably just thinking up things to crush her boredom. It was then she heard tapping on the roof above her, she looked up slowly to find nothing there, just a glass roof above her head. 

"Must be some birds" she thought to herself. She resumed being mad until she heard the tapping and scratching out again, even louder this time. She swallowed nervously, and looked upright. Her eyes filled with terror of the sight she was greeted with; 

Two large creatures sat on the glass, they had the head of a rooster, the legs and wings of a bird and tail of a serpant or lizard. They were moving across the glass, their weight caused the glass to crack. Phoebe knew that the people in the mall would soon be in danger. Standing up she warned everyone to move; 

"Get out of here, everyone its dangerous!!" Phoebe yelled out, everyone looked at her in response and laughed. Prue and Piper overheard her yelling and ran up to their younger sister. 

"Phoebe what is wrong with you!" Prue said shaking her sister. 

"You wanna get us exposed?" Piper muttered angrilly. Phoebe replied by pointing upright, Piper and Prue followed her gaze and finger and noticed the creatures on the roof too, and the glass cracking even more. 

"What the?" Piper began, she was stopped with the sound of shattering glass and the hisses of terror which followed. All three sisters ducked and watched as the creatures narrowly swooped them. Everyone in the food coart panicked and began to scatter in all directions. Screams of terror filled the large room echoeing from the walls it alarmed the creatures even more. 

Piper, looked around to see the creatures pecking and breathing flames about wildly, she then ducked as a flame came hurdling towards them. 

"What did you see?" Phoebe whispered. 

"Big roosters blowing fire at us!!" Piper yelled, just as she spoke the table chared through and sent them running away from the hideous creature. They scattered in seperate directions trying to avoid the creatures attacks. Piper ran as fast as she could, she could feel the creatures breath on her neck, it burnt every fine hair from it. It pecked at her, narrowing missing her skin, Piper felt it gaining and ducked for cover, the creature flew over her head and towards other people. Piper got up and flung her hands to freeze the room, everything stopped including the creatures. 

"Woah!" Phoebe said getting up, she looked over at Piper and grinned. "damn lucky your freezing power worked or we would be toast" Prue looked over at her sisters and smiled. The celebration was all too soon when the creatures began to fight against the freezing power, then managed to get free, the room unfroze along with them. 

"Ahhhh God!" Piper said running away again, Prue and Phoebe ducked behind a table with their sister. 

"Perhaps my power may work" Prue suggested. Piper just nodded. 

"Smash those roosters, make drumsticks out of them!" Piper said aggressively. "because I want to live, another year from my yearly check-up!" She pushed Prue out and Prue attempted to use her powers, but they didn't work, instead she attracted the beasts towards them with her body movements, she ducked suddenly and they watched as they flew only inches above their heads. Oil dripped from their scales and onto the floor beside Phoebe, narrowing missing her skin it burnt through the floor. 

"OOoohhh, they mustn't have used deoderant for thousands of years" Phoebe commented looking wide eyed at the ground sizzling. 

"We have to get out of here, we can't help people when we are powerless" Piper began. Prue looked at her annoyed. 

"We can't just turn our backs on the innocents," Prue began. "I mean, there are two of them, sure they are giant roosters but we can beat them!" 

"Earth to Prue!!" Phoebe said knocking on Prue's head. "how are we meant to stop them without powers?" Prue thought for a moment then watched the creatures attack again. One of them approached a mirror and avoided it as if it was red hot, or deadly for it to look into. Prue realised at that moment the creatures couldn't look at themselves in a mirror. 

"We have to grab a mirror" Prue began. 

"Wha?" Piper asked confused. 

"Trust me, they are like the Gorgon Medusa, they don't like their relfections" Prue explained moving away from the table, Piper was about to protest but decided to follow her sisters. 

"You better be right Prue" Piper grumbled. They came across some broken pieces of larger mirror, giving a piece of each of her sisters she also handed them each the leg of a table. 

"Use the legs as weapons and the mirrors as sheilds" Prue directed. Piper looked at the mirror and table leg. 

"I feel stupid" she muttered to herself, she looked up to see one of the creatures swooping towards her. She screamed and ducked down, Prue and Phoebe looked at her, then heard a hissing sound from behind them, they turned and saw the other creature coming towards them. Prue lifted up her sheild and table leg. 

"Take this 'Red Rooster'!!" she yelled as the creature came towards her, it stopped near the mirror and shreiked a high pitched sound, Phoebe and Piper covered their eachs in pain as it seemed to shatter everything in sight, including the mirror. Prue opened her eyes to find the mirror in a thousand pieces on the ground, and the creature sitting above her, perched on a rafter on the roof. It looked into her eyes, and Prue looked away, and ducked. She felt talon like claws scrape her back, and she winced in pain. 

"Prue!" Piper yelled out worriedly. She rushed towards her sister but was greeted with a shove by one of the creatures which narrowing missed her skin directly. She smelt her clothes begin to melt on her back and she tumbled to the floor with an almighty thud. Piper moaned and winced in slight pain as she tried to move. Phoebe noticed her fallen sister and shouted out her name, she was about to run for her but ducked as one of the creatures swooped her. Phoebe ducked under the table shaking nervously. _"This is the end"_ she thought to herself. _"we're going to die right here"_ Phoebe prayed for something to happen, anything. There was no stopping these creatures. 

It was then the hissing and carnage stopped, and the room was filled with silence. It was then Phoebe slowly stood up and looked to see what had happened. The first thing she saw was Prue being tended to by Piper, who limped slightly. She breathed out a sigh of relief, it was then she noticed the angel walked away from the scene again. Phoebe bolted upright and ran towards Jacob calling out his name; 

"Jacob, stop!" Phoebe called out, she was responded with a cigarette to the ground behind him. 

"Jacob, this time this makes your business my business, this is twice we have crossed paths!" Phoebe called out. Jacob kept walking though. Phoebe looked about to make sure no one was around before she said; 

"I'm a witch Jacob, I can help" Jacob stopped and turned around slowly. 

"So that is why they were after you" Jacob said to himself, Piper and Prue had overheard the converstation and moved towards Phoebe, Piper supported Prue. 

"Who wanted me?" Phoebe asked confused. Jacob fixed his coat and stared at Phoebe's sisters for a moment before replying. 

"I don't know who they are, I just know they will bring the end" Jacob explained in his raspy voice. 

"The end?" Piper asked just as confused as Phoebe. 

"They knew, that you would be able to stop them, that is why they took you're blood" Jacob began to explain vaguely. Phoebe gave Jacob another look of confusion and began to walk towards him. 

"Wait, rewind here, explain first of all who you are and what you have to do with this" Phoebe began. Jacob sat down on the remains of a table and the sisters followed suit and listened. 

"I'm Jacob, a fallen angel" Jacob began. "all I will say is that I have seen these things before and I live to destroy them" 

"Why do you hate them so much?" Phoebe asked confused, she leant onto the table awaiting his response. 

"That doesn't matter," Jacob replied obviously hurt. "the problem here is someone is breeding them, and God knows what else they are breeding" Piper and Prue looked at each other in shock, breeding demons, they could destroy millions if they keep going on like this. 

"What were these things anyway?" Piper asked curiously. 

"Basilisk" Jacob replied simply. He pulled out a smoke and lit it. There was a small silence. 

"Okay, we are going to help you find these things and kill them," Phoebe announced, before Jacob could say anything Phoebe stopped him, "it's our job to save the innocent" 

--- 

The day was still young, and Jacob sat in the manor twiddling his fingers nervously. Piper looked up from the book she was reading and stared at him. 

"Smoking problem?" she asked with a small smile. Jacob looked at Piper with a hard glare, Piper winced and hid back behind the book. "sorry we don't smoke in this house, or I would give you one to settle your nerves" Prue laughed and continued to browse through the Book of Shadows. It was then Phoebe entered the room quietly and turned on the kettle and went to the fridge. 

"Coffee anyone?" she asked, Prue and Piper declined so Phoebe turned to Jacob. "what about you Mr?" She asked playfully. Jacob frowned and his tapping became more erratic. 

"I don't eat or drink" Jacob said quietly. 

Piper and Prue looked up simultaniously from their books, then at each other they looked shocked. Piper then turned her gaze to Jacob. 

"Nothing, not even just for the taste" Piper commented. Jacob continued to tap on the table. 

"I can't die, so what is the point, I drink occaisionally, only for taste" Jacob replied. He closed his eyes and sighed. He fiddled with his small beard for a moment instead of tapping on the table continuously. The room went quiet again except for the sound of the kettle boiling and Phoebe rustling around the kitchen. Piper eventually looked up and asked Jacob another question; 

"If you are immortal, how old are you then?" Piper asked. 

"I can't keep count anymore, just say old" Jacob replied not even looking into Piper's gaze. Piper felt some what hurt, then turned to Prue. 

"How is your back?" she asked her sister. Prue winced a bit but managed a smile. 

"I was lucky none of that body oil hit him," Prue replied, she indicated a page in her book. "I've read it is deadly" Jacob looked up at the word. 

"Yes it is, they are extremely deadly creatures, and difficult to stop" Jacob commented. Phoebe had noticed Jacob's uneasiness on the topic and looked at Piper, as if to tell her, no more on the subject. It would prove difficult though seeing that they had to find out more on the creature, and Jacob was possibly the key. How he is involved, they didn't know. 

"The only thing I can find on this creature is to kill it with a mirror, but..." Prue trailed off. Piper and Phoebe knew what she was thinking, how could they do this on their own, without powers. Jacob noticed their uneasiness and shifted slightly, still fiddling with his whiskery beard. 

"Perhaps William can help" he said quietly. All three sisters looked at him some what lost on the conversation. 

"William?" Phoebe echoed the name. 

"Will actually, he is a vampire, a sleezy vampire but he could prove useful" Jacob told Phoebe directly. Prue didn't seem so sure though. 

"How do you know we can trust this guy?" Prue asked. 

"Because I believe that these people will be after him for a specimen," Jacob commented, "they might even want you on a more perminant basis than just a blood sample" The sisters went silent, whoever these people were they had to be stopped, breeding demons was one thing, but vampires and witches too. They all turned to Jacob, and Phoebe sat down and began to drink her coffee. 

"Where will we find this Will?" Phoebe asked. 

"Ahhhhh!" the young man yelped as he was shoved into a wall. "hiya Jacky, long time no see" Jacob grew angered and shoved Will even harder against the wall, Will showed his fangs and hissed in pain. "please put me down" he begged in a whiney voice. The sisters watched on as Jacob placed Will down. Will was bigger than Jacob, but was skinny and boney, not much for a vampire. He turned his gaze to the sisters in the darkened room. 

"Who are they Jake?" he asked Jacob. Jacob grew mad and shoved Will up against the wall again causing the sisters to flinch. 

"My name is Jacob!!" Jacob growled. Will laughed and looked at the sisters again. 

"I hope he wasn't rude to you lovely ladies" he said winking at Prue in particular. Prue smiled and looked away. Jacob placed Will down and fiddled again with his fingers. 

"Need a smoke Jacob old boy?" Will said moving towards his chest of draws. Jacob replied "yes" in a sigh of relief. Will handed him an entire box. "I gave up, you can have them" Jacob gave Will a small smile to say thanks and immediately lit one and slumped down on the sofa. He let his wings out for a stretch. Will looked over at the sisters and led them to a seat too. 

"Would you like something to drink?" Will asked nervously. Phoebe looked at her sisters and they all shook their heads. "more for me then" he said moving off towards the fridge. Will pulled out a container of a red liquid and poured it into a glass, he then proceded to drink it in front of the sisters. 

"That better not be..." Piper's voice trailed off. 

"Yes, its blood" Will said lifting his glass up with pride. Piper turned a ghostly white and looked away. Her sisters followed suit. Jacob noticed their uneasiness. 

"Will would you mind not drinking in front of the girls!" Jacob said in an annoyed voice. Will whined and gulped the rest of it down then placed the glass aside. He then looked at Jacob and sat back on his chair. 

"So what do you want with be Jake?" Will asked. Jacob snarled at the name again, but decided to keep his cool. 

"We need your help to find out who is breeding some demons around town" Jacob explained. 

"What kind?" 

"Basilisk" Jacob replied as he took a puff of his smoke. Will pulled back slightly. 

"Ewwww, they are bad!" Will said to himself. "I mean real bad" 

"Are you going to help us?" Prue asked Will getting agrivated with his pressence. 

"Yeah sure sweetie, anything for you" he said winking at Prue, Prue gagged and Piper and Phoebe laughed at her and Will. 

"Actually its more for your own good Will, they'll be after you next" Jacob said with a small grin. Will looked at Jacob someone dazed. 

"Come again?" Will said. "no one comes for me" 

"They have already come for the witches you see here, what doesn't say they won't come for you too?" Jacob explained. 

Will's expression immediately turned serious, standing up he walked out of the room and returned moments after with a book, he handed it to Jacob; 

"I cut out clippings of supernatural occurances around town, and I found this one in particular that might interest you" Will explained, as he opened the old scrapbook, he revealed an article which was titled _"Freak Attack at Local Zoo" _Reading it outloud Jacob said; 

"Today at the San Fransisco Zoo, a child was attacked by one of the reptilian creatures in the Reptile Section. It is reported that the reptile was not recorded as normal, and was put down straight away due to extreme abnormalities. Having the appearances of a Rooster, or bird-like features of feathers to the chest and back. It is reported to resemble the Mythical Basilisk, but Zoologist and Reptile Keeper - Joe Blackburn claimes that it can be explained as a simple abnormality, perhaps because of crossbreeding or genetic make-up" Jacok looked up at the sisters and Will realising that this Joe Blackburn was probably the guy they were looking for. 

"We have to find this Joe guy" Jacob announced. The sisters nodded agreeing and stood up ready to leave immediately. As they all went to the door they turned and looked as Will was still sitting down. 

"Aren't you coming Will?" Jacob asked. Will looked up and smiled. 

"I would if it was night" Will said with a sarcastic grin. Jacob looked at the sister realising that Will was right, he couldn't venture outside in daylight. 

"He's right" Prue said looking at Jacob, Jacob sighed. 

"We'll scale the situation today, and return for you tonight," Jacob suggested. "just don't even think about bailing on me" Will laughed but was soon silenced by Jacobs hard stare. They all left quietly leaving Will sitting and looking through his scrapbook. 

"We had to ask the vampire" Piper chirped, Phoebe scowled her as they all returned to the car. Prue hopped in the drivers seat. 

"First stop San Fransisco Zoo, to find one Joe Blackburn" Prue announced driving off. 

--- 

"Dr Joe Blackburn?" a voice called out. Joe leant over and pressed his telephone to reply to the message. 

"Yes?" 

"Would you like some coffee for your break?" the voice responded. 

"No thank you," Joe responded. "could you please not put through any visitors or calls in the next hour, I will be extremely busy" he added. 

"Sure" the voice said. 

Turning back to his test tubes he looked down at all the cages around him, containing reptiles such as snakes, and lizards, his most prized possesion was in the secluded cage, aside from the rest of them. It was thicker than the other cages, it had to be to contain the beast. 

Joe looked at he beast for a while, eye to eye, its eyes were patched over to avoid direct contact with its deadly vision, its beak closed with a chain, locked so it couldn't burn its victims. Joe lifted a hand and stroked the cage and grinned. 

"Such a prized pocession you are my pretty," Joe announced. "you almost got me discovered but, you won't escape again" Joe added touching the cage again, it alerted the Basilisk and it started to jump around wildly in the cage. Joe stood up and walked to the opposite side of the laboratory. It was filled with beakers and testtubes full of his wild experiments which these creatures, he stood came across what he was looking for, picking up the small test tube it read; _"Witch Subject 1: Halliwell"_. He looked up at the newspaper articles and photos around the laboratory. 

"You are the only three in my way" he said admiring the photos. Picking up the test tube he pulled out a syringe and began to inject some of the blood from the tube. He turned and walked towards the Basilisk. 

"The more I breed with the blood of the Halliwell Sisters, the more they will be able to sheild their powers" Joe said smirking. "isn't that right pretty one" he slowly reached out for the Basilisk but it reacted violently and caused its oils to burn at his skin. He pulled away screaming in agony, but didn't realise he had accidently injected himself with the Halliwell's blood sample. He looked the syringe which he pulled out slowly, and stared at it, he then looked at the oil on his skin, it had stopped burning. 

"What the?" he looked in shock at his arm. Suddenly his skin began to burn all over, he fell to the ground in pain and screamed a scream of agony. He grabbed his arm and winced as something seemed to take over his body. He looked at his hand and saw green scaley, bird-like feet. He screamed in shock and feel backwards. He looked down on his body and saw a tail begin to spirt from his body. He stood up and screamed again as he felt something rip from his back, piercing skin with a bloody slurp. He stood upright and watched as his feet began to turn into claws, then finally whatever it was consumed his face. 

--- 

"Are you sure this is the place?" Phoebe asked again. Piper elbowed her annoyed as they hopped out of the car. 

"Yes, the people at the Zoo directed me to this lab, they said this was where Dr Joe Blackburn resides" Prue explained. Jacob looked at Phoebe and grinned a small smile. He then pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Phoebe stared at Jacob surprised. 

"You are one heavy smoker" she said as they began to walk towards the building. 

"That comes with being immortal" he said with a small smirk. All four walked up to the main doors and peered inside. There was no one in sight. 

"Hello!?" Prue called out looking around. She was replied with the sound of her own voice echoing off the walls. It was uncomfortably silent in the large foyer, all they got were the sterile white walls looking back at them and the errie silence. Prue could sense something was not right. Piper slowly walked up to the front desk and noticed a woman sitting back facing to them in the seat. 

"Hello, we were wondering.." Piper began, but she got no response. "excuse me Miss?" Piper said turning the chair around. She fell back sickened at the sight she saw, paled in the face Piper looked away gagging. The others soon noticed her reaction and rushed up to her. 

"My God" Phoebe said covering her mouth. A woman sat in the chair, mangled, blood and puss covered her body, it wasn't even intact anymore, she just look like a piece of meat butchered in the local butcher. Prue looked away and at Jacob who was more worried about what ever did this and if it was still around. Dropping his smoke, he put it out with the flick of his heel. His eyes darted around the room, looking for where the creature fled to. He then spotted footprints of blood walking towards the back door. 

"Look" he said pointing at the footprints. Phoebe and Prue looked whilst Piper hesitantly uncovered her eyes and gagged again. 

"This is sickening" Piper said. 

"You think the creature went in there?" Phoebe asked Jacob, he nodded and directed his focus back to the door again. 

"Do you really think we should be looking for trouble?" Prue questioned hesitantly. 

"Prue, we have to stop this madness before someone is killed" Phoebe said firmly. Piper looked towards her sisters and sat down on a chair in the foyer's sitting area and covered her face and looked to the ground. She found it hard to stomach the putrid smells of blood and sights of gutted body nearby. 

"Can we just leave guys before I puke!" Piper said trying to joke about it but failing misserably. 

"I agree with Piper, this could be dangerous, we aren't even prepared.." Prue said trailing off. 

"Prue you are always saying we have to stop the badguys and save the innocents, it is our job" 

"It won't be our job if we don't go prepared, what if they are vaccined against our powers like the last one we encountered" Prue began. 

"Two don't you mean," Piper said looking up. "and even then we almost 'died'!!" 

"Well, I'm still going in guys" Phoebe said walking towards the door, Jacob turned around and followed Phoebe. Prue looked at both of them and defeated decided to join them, Piper sighed and stood up following them also; 

"Why do I get into these messy situations?" Piper muttered to herself. 

Slowly opening the door the first thing they sense is the sickening smell of blood again. They all turn to see the blood stained walls around them. They slowly walk into the room. 

"Blood better come off these clothes or I will kill you personally Phoebe" Piper muttered angrilly. Prue elbowed Piper annoyed. They focused their attention back to their surroundings. The blood filled their nostrals again, and Piper covered her nose and paled again. 

"I hate blood" she muttered under her breath. Jacob led the group as they quietly moved through the bloody white rooms, it was quiet, not a sound was made, only the sounds of their breathing and footsteps echoed through the halls. Finally they came across one final door, blood stained the door handle, and the footsteps led inside. Jacob turned around and looked at the sisters awaiting their permission to open the door, with the indication of a simple nod from Prue, Jacob slowly turned the doorknob. 

The door creaked open and inside was no better than the rest of the building, gutted reptiles scattered around the lab, blood stained the walls and floors. Piper turned again and gagged as did Prue and Phoebe this time, but Jacob pressed on, determined to kill the monster. 

_Clatter..._

Jacob turned around to the sound and his eyes darted around wildly. The sisters stood behind awaiting an attack, behind Jacob they stood armed for attack with what they could grab from the floor. Their powers, no good against the onslaught. They listened in, their ears and hairs on end, the sounds of scrapping and hissing filled the room, they looked around and noticed the vents, the hisses echoed from them. 

_"God they are in the venting system" _Phoebe thought to herself moving across the room. She suddenly turned in a split instant just in time to hit an oncoming Basilisk, it jumped at her with strong hind legs, then landed on the floor in front of her. It pulled back and hissed, and ruffled its neck feathers to threaten Phoebe. Piper and Prue watched on behind her, scared for their sisters life, Jacob stood stunned. It was as if it were a rattle snake toying with its victim. 

"Phoebe, move very slowly" Jacob said reaching out to Phoebe for her hand. Phoebe stood frozen, clasping tightly on the metal bar in her hand. She shook where she stood. She then heard another noise, another hissing from somewhere else, she turned her head slightly then noticed something rattling the vent directly behind her sisters. 

"Piper, Prue move!!!" she said rushing towards her sisters, the Basilisk currently on the ground lept up narrowly missing Phoebe's head. Jacob lept into action, knocking the other Basilisk out of the way. Phoebe whacked the other Basilisk which jumped from the vent, with a great leap. Screaming Prue and Piper fled towards the cages on the opposite wall, but found themselves face to face with two more Basilisk. Piper screamed and swung an arm and smacked both of them out of the way, Prue looked at her sister stunned then grabbed her hand and ran. Phoebe turned to Jacob who was holding off the first Basilisk, and Phoebe turned to fend off the second one. 

"This isn't good Jacob," Phoebe began, "maybe Prue was right, we should of prepared" 

Jacob looked up, he had to find a mirror, and fast. He scanned the room then finally set eyes upon a one sided glass. He turned to Phoebe. 

"Hold them, off I'll be right back" he directed moving away from Phoebe, Phoebe whimpered annoyed that Jacob had left her alone to fend off two monsters. 

"Hurry!!" she shouted out. Jacob, rushed across the room and towards the mirror, he grasphed the edges and tried to pull it off but found it difficult. Turning around he scanned for something to use for leverage. He found a bar from one of the cages and grabbing it he began to rip off the mirror. 

"Prue!" Piper screamed staring into another Basilisk. She began to shake as the Basilisk began to ruffle its feathers and hiss again. "nice chicken" Piper muttered. 

"Rooster actually" Prue yelled back, she looked back towards the first Basilisk. 

"Haha!" Piper said with sarcasm, looking away for a moment she didn't notice the Basilisk pouncing towards her. Phoebe looked across the room as she heard the screams coming from one of her sisters, she then saw Piper with the Basilisk on top of her, she lay beside the metal bench dazed, blood seeped from a head wound. 

"Piper!" Phoebe cried out, her fatal mistake was looking away as two Basilisk pounced her, they began to bite and peck at her skin, her face. She tried to escape but couldn't. Prue watched on helplessly, one sister down, unconsious the other being pecked alive. Prue screamed out for Jacob who was still trying to rip off the mirror. 

_Rip!!!_

Jacob screamed pulling away, something had scratched his arm, cutting it open. He looked up and moved backwards, stumbling at what he saw. The mirror fell to the floor, but smashed into pieces. He stared up at the creature before him. 

"You seem surprised human" the beast said with a deep demonic voice. Jacob moved back a little more, trying to find something to hit the creature, or stab it perhaps. He was stopped by a giant claw to the hand. He screamed again, unable to move his hand, it bled on the ground. He looked up painfully to see the face of his adversary. Its eyes glowed, Jacob looked away, its eyes burning his. He covered his eyes with his other hand and screamed again. 

Prue looked up again, and saw Jacob wasn't going to help. Staring over at her sisters again, Piper lay against the bench, blood began to stain the floor and the creature began to claw at her chest, burning flesh with its deadly oily skin. Phoebe lay on the other side, trying to get away from the onslaught. Prue had to do something and fast. 

She turned around and noticed the mirror laying on the ground in several pieces, if she could at least get one, she could destroy a few of them, or fend them off at the most. Looking back down at the Basilisk before her, she raised her weapon and swung it, sending the creature flying into some cages across the laboratory. She dropped the weapon immediately and bolted for the other side of the laboratory. Skidding across the floor before the giant Basilisk could notice she grabbed the mirror as it turned to look at her. Hissing in pain it pulled its talon like claw from Jacob's tender and bleeding hand. Prue eyed Jacob indicated to grab a mirror and save her sisters. Rushing across the ground Jacob grabbed a mirror and rushed over to Phoebe and fended off the Basilisk, one hissed and melted to the ground in pain, the other lept up and rushed to the vent scurrying away. 

Screaming again, the main Basilisk fled from the room, Prue immediately turned to the her sister Piper and using the mirror destroyed the one grasping at her chest. Prue looked over Piper's body, deep cocerned about the loss of blood, as it had puddled around her on the floor. She looked to Piper's head and touched the back of it only to feel moisture, pulling away she saw blood, then noticed the blood on the corner of the bench above Piper. 

"Piper" Prue whispered in anguish. Jacob stood over Piper helping her up he ripped some of his jacket immediately and patched up the bleeding claw marks on her face and body. Some of her clothes had been melted away from the oils on the Basilisk's skin and claws. Phoebe looked up at Jacob relieved and managed a small smile through her pain. 

"Can you walk?" Jacob asked softly. Phoebe nodded and with Jacob's help stood upright unsteadilly. Blood was now seeping through her clothes. She looked around dizzy from blood loss and in pain blinked through the stinging claiming her body. She then noticed Piper laying beside Prue. 

"Piper?" Phoebe said moving towards her sister, Jacob rushed and helped Phoebe move towards her fallen sister. Prue was trying to cushion Piper's head wound with her jacket but the blood wasn't stopping any time soon. She looked over at Phoebe worriedly. 

"We have to get her to the hospital," Prue stated seriously. "you do too Phoebe" she reached out for her sister but Phoebe pulled away. 

"No, worry about Piper first, she is in worse shape" 

"How do we know we can leave here safely without running into anymore monsters" Prue said to Jacob. 

"They will be gone for now, trust me, I've seen what they do before" Jacob replied, he held Phoebe up by the waist. Prue turned to Piper then back to Jacob. 

"I'll take Phoebe, can you carry Piper" Prue said to Jacob. Jacob nodded without a word and handed Phoebe to Prue, who began to carry her outside and towards the car. Laying Piper in the back seat, Jacob sat beside her. Prue helped Phoebe to the front seat then rushed to the boot and grabbed some extra blankets. 

"Here," Prue said handing the blankets to Jacob. "places these under her head to stop the bleeding" Jacob nodded and placed them firmly under Piper's head, Piper let out a small moan, which pleased Prue slightly. _"She's beginning to wake up, good"_ Prue thought to herself. 

Driving off Prue directly Phoebe to call the hospital to prepare them for their arrival. They were just entering the city when they heard a scraping sound on the back of the car. Phoebe turned around, closing the cell phone and saw something clawing onto the back of the car. 

"Basilisk!!!" Phoebe screamed. Prue swerved and sped off as fast as she could. They had to get to a safe haven and fast. It was then Jacob realised something. 

"Will's appartment is protected from demons, if we go there we should be safe for now" Jacob yelled over the chaos in the car. Prue turned around as did Phoebe. 

"What about Piper?" Phoebe asked concerned for her sister. 

"We would be better off at Will's appartment then protecting her and innocent hospital staff from a Basilisk, and who knows how many are on the car or in the boot perhaps" Jacob stated. Phoebe looked down at Piper's paled face one last time. She was beginning to shake, she hoped she wasn't going into shock of anything. She turned to Prue and nodded. Prue took a sharp turn towards Will's appartment. 

On arrival, they stopped the car and waited for a moment catching their breaths and letting their hearts slow down. They could all hear the scratching of the claws on the back of the car. Prue turned to Jacob and Phoebe. 

"On the count of three, you take Piper, I will take Phoebe inside," Prue said. Jacob and Phoebe nodded. "One, two..... three" jumping from the car, Prue rushed Phoebe inside, Jacob and Piper following close behind, the Basilisk trailing only metres away. They rushed up flights of stairs before coming to Will's door. Opening it Prue slammed it just as the Basilisk reached them, slamming into the door, the creature shreiked. 

"What the?" A voice said from behind them. Will stood there half dressed, he had just had a shower when he heard the noise. He then noticed the blood soacked blankets and Piper's bleeding wound. 

"Ooooh Blood" Will said licking his lips. Moving towards Piper, he was pushed away by Prue. Landing on the ground he looked up and winked at her again, in response she kicked him in the crotch. Wincing he looked up at Prue, who was face to face with him. 

"Get, blankets, medical kit, now!!!" Prue demmanded. Phoebe and Jacob watched from a short distance surprised. Prue turned around and smiled at them both. "I have to yell to get my point across here" Turning back to her sister, Jacob lay her gently onto the couch and pulled away the remaining blankets, turning Piper sideways she let out another moan. The wound was deep and would require stitches for sure. Jacob looked at Piper's sisters worriedly. 

"It's bad isn't it?" Phoebe asked worried for her sister. Prue turned to Phoebe and touched her on the shoulder gently. She then touched the wounds on her face. 

"Let me treat those sweetie" Prue said proding at the scratches. 

"No, make sure Piper is okay first" Phoebe said with a small smile. Wincing she braved on just long enough for Piper to be seen too. 

"First off all we have to stop the bleeding" Jacob directed. Prue and Phoebe looked at him surprised. 

"You're a doctor?" Prue asked. 

"Kind of, I did a bit of medic work in my lifetime" Jacob began. "and I've seen alot of horrific things" his voice trailed off. Will returned dressed with a medical kit and blankets, placing them down beside the group he sat and licked his lips again looking wide eyed at the blood soaked clothes and blankets of Phoebe and Piper. 

"Hey, when you're done can I have those?" he said pointing to the blankets. Prue gave him a harsh glare so he gave up and sat back crossing his arms and sulked. 

Applying more pressure to the wound Piper winced and moaned again. Her sisters watched on eagerly knowing at least she was going to wake up, this would be a good sign. 

"Piper?" Prue whispered brushing some hair from her face. Piper slowly opened her eyes and looked directly up towards the ceiling. She didn't even notice her sisters. Phoebe grew concerned and waved her hand in front of Piper's eyes. Piper was finding it hard to focus on her sisters and closed her eyes again. 

"Piper can you talk?" Prue asked conerned for her sister now. 

"Mmmm" Piper moaned in response. Phoebe pulled out some tissues and began to wipe up the claw wounds on Piper's chest. Piper winced and Phoebe pulled away. 

"Sorry sweetie, it'll only hurt for a second" Phoebe said quietly. She clasped Piper's hand and continued to work. Prue noticed Piper was still shaking and grew concerned, looking over at Jacob, he stood up and walked towards the sink and wet a cloth and brought it back. Placing it on her forehead he wiped away any exess blood. 

"Hurts" Piper whimpered breathing heavilly. She tried to focus again but couldn't. 

"Relax Piper, you have a concussion" Prue said brushing her face again. She looked over at Will who sat opposite them now watching, looking wide eyed at the blood soaked cloth. Prue knew he wanted it, and her, as his eyes wandered towards her body. She gave him a nasty glare. 

"Will?" Prue asked quietly. Will looked up and grinned. "could you tell me about the protective circle around your appartment?" 

"Yeah," Will began. "with a certain fee" he eyed the cloth again and Prue sighed. She grabbed the cloth from Phoebe and handed it to Will, Prue was about to warn him to drink it else where but didn't get time. Piper looked up slightly and suddenly gagged and turned a ghostly white. 

"Sick" Piper said simply, her voice quivering. She already didn't feel well, and now she had a vampire drinking her own blood before her. Phoebe held Piper upwards so if she was to be sick, she wouldn't drown in her own sick. She rubbed her back and Jacob handed Phoebe another moist cloth to finish the job. Prue growled slightly then turned her attention back towards Will. 

"The circle was given to me by a witch" Will began. 

"A witch?" 

"Yeah, I knew a witch, we met in Paris, Montmarte, around the time I met Jacob," Will began to explain. "we were all good friends, you remember Bella don't you Jacob?" Jacob eyed Will then looked away. Prue had a feeling that Jacob perhaps liked this girl. 

"Bella is she Italian?" Phoebe asked interested, and overhearing conversation. Piper closed her eyes and fell asleep as Phoebe worked. Prue was now more concerned about Phoebe's scratches, as was Jacob. 

"Yes," Will replied. "she gave me a magic circle for my birthday, not that I remember anymore, immortality is such a bitch" Phoebe laughed, which drew their attention again. Jacob touched Phoebe's hand and Prue took the cloth from her. 

"I want to tend to your wounds Phoebe, they could get infected" 

Phoebe was about to argue but Prue was already tending to Piper for her. Sighing she let Jacob take her aside and he tended to her own wounds. 

Day soon turned to night, and conversation was limited. Prue was concerned about Piper as she had been shaking throughout the night. Jacob spoke to Phoebe little, but Bella was not a part of conversation. They kept watch, but the Basilisk's didn't move, and now they feared that the lead one was coming for them. They had to leave, or it was all their lives on the line. 

"Is this witch Bella still alive?" Prue asked Will aside. Will nodded. 

"She is immortal too," Will explained. "she lives in Italy though and unless you can orb or shimmer you won't be contacting her too soon" Prue sighed. Their choices were limited now, they had no other way out. 

It was then there was a fade of lights, Phoebe, Jacob and Prue looked up to see a figure slowly shimmer into view. Phoebe's first reaction told all. 

"Cole!" she said getting up slowly she walked over to Cole and hugged him immediately. Cole kissed her passionately and Prue stood aside and eyed them both, knowing that Phoebe had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Pulling back Phoebe looked into his eyes for a moment then turned around and faced Will, Jacob and Prue who were all watching. 

"Cole, this is Jacob, he's the reason we are all here" Phoebe began. Cole looked at Jacob suspiciously and walked slowly towards him, he then turned and faced Will. Phoebe sood in front of Cole and introduced him. 

"And this is Will, he is a vampire" 

"I know" Cole replied with a hard stern voice. Will stood back and laughed slightly but Cole grabbed him which soon got him shaking. "this bastard never payed me back" 

"I won fair and square that poker game was mine!" 

"You cheated you bastard" Cole said almost spitting into Will's face. "pay me back!" 

"Make me!" Will spat. Cole was about to punch him when Phoebe pulled him back. 

"What has gotten into you!?" Phoebe said alarmed. Cole cooled down slightly then noticed Piper laying in the far corner of the room, asleep and Phoebe, who was covered in bandages and swaying slightly, sweating. 

"Phoebe, you're wounded" Cole began. "I've been worried about you, I mean, I went to the manor and I couldn't find you, and it was a pain trying to shimmer here," Cole explained. "is there some protective circle here?" Will nodded. 

'Bella gave it to me, remember her?" 

"Yeah, vaguely" Cole commented. It was then Prue came up with an idea. 

"Cole, we need your help immediately" Prue announced. Cole nodded and stood back ready to listen. "can you take Phoebe and Piper to the hospital" Cole nodded immediately. 

"Yes, anything" Cole said. 

"Come back as soon as possible, we have another mission for you" 

"I'm not going" a voice said softly. Everyone turned around to see Piper standing unsteadilly against the sofa. She grabbed the side of her head and closed her eyes, her vision was blurred but she didn't want to admit to it. Prue immediately went to her side and grabbed her concerned. 

"Piper rest, you're hurt" Prue ordered. Piper pulled away roughly. 

"Prue, I'm fine" Piper said sternly. "I just need to walk around a bit" Piper blinked a few times, and stepped shakilly, she swayed after a few steps then slowly crumbled to the floor. Prue and Jacob caught her as she fell, and lifted her upright. 

"Maybe I'm not" Piper muttered defeated. 

"Cole, take her" Prue said handing Piper to Cole, Phoebe looked at Prue not wanting to leave either but Prue persisted. 

"You both are more useful when you are better" Prue explained. Jacob nodded agreeing. 

"I've seen men in wars over the ages, and the wounded may be brave to go back into battle but in the end, end up dying in vain" Phoebe sighed and took Cole's hand. 

"Beam me up Scotty" she said with a smile. Cole laughed slightly and all three shimmered out. It was at that moment a sudden scratching sound was heard from outside. They were getting closer to getting them. 

--- 

Continued in The Outsider: From Bad to Worse.... 


	2. The Outsider: From Bad to Worse

**The Outsider - From Bad to Worse**

_"I feel like I've been run over by a truck"_ Piper thought to herself. She had her eyes closed and could barely make out her surroundings, all she knew was she was in the hospital now, and that her body was being wheeled from room to room. She shifted in and out of consciousness, the next thing she felt was someones pressence in the room. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked back the throbbing pain in the back of her head. 

The first thing she saw was Phoebe, who was sitting beside the bed looking at her. Phoebe smiled and took Piper's hand. Piper noticed she was bandaged head to toe from the scratch marks. She blinked a few more times and smiled in response. 

"You alright?" Piper asked concerned. Phoebe laughed and sighed. 

"I'm fine Piper," Phoebe replied. "I'm more worried about you" 

Piper was quiet for a moment then continued the conversation. "Headache, I feel a little sick still but not as bad as before," Piper explained. "how long do I have to stay here?" Piper asked. She hated hospitals and just wanted to help out her sisters again. 

"At least another day" Phoebe replied hesitantly. Piper gave a small moan on defeat and shifted to her side to take the pressure off her head. 

"What about you sis?" Piper asked. "where is Cole?" 

"I am leaving as soon as possible, the doctors said I could, Cole will be taking me back" 

"So you're leaving me alone!" Piper sat up alarmed. Phoebe laughed and stood up. 

"You're a big girl now Piper" 

"You know I don't mean that," Piper grumbled. "I want in on the action" 

"Well sorry, you're not" Phoebe moved towards Piper about to tickle her. 

"Don't you dare," Piper began. "you wouldn't not to an injured women" Piper gave a cheeky grin and Phoebe moved back. She sat down again and took Piper's hand and kissed it. 

"I'll be back soon to check on you," Phoebe told Piper. "you can leave here tommorro" Piper nodded and kissed Phoebe again just before she left her to look at the boring surroundings of the hospital room. She lay back and starred up at the ceiling. Her thoughts turned to Leo. _"Where are you Leo?"_ Piper thought to herself. 

"It's about time you came back" Prue said to Cole annoyed, she looked at Phoebe who was sitting on the couch trying to hide the stinging in her limbs. 

"And I'm no calmer with you, you should be resting with Piper" 

"Prue, I wanted to help, besides the doctors say I am fine, they are just scratches" Phoebe snapped. Prue sighed in defeat. 

"How have you been holding out?" Cole asked turning back to business. 

"Fine, the little bastards have tried to get in but we have beaten them" Will said with a smirk. He leant down against the couch, Jacob shifted slightly moving away from the vampire, then lit a cigarrette again, he winced at the wound on his arm, Phoebe noticed. 

"Let me dress that Jacob" she said moving towards him, Jacob moved back and signaled for her to leave him be. "I'm fine" he replied. Phoebe felt hurt and moved back beside Prue. 

"Cole," Prue began. "this is your second job I wanted you to do" Prue began to explain. "I need you to shimmer to Italy, to find Bella" Cole looked at Prue utterly shocked. 

"There is no way I will find her in time!" Cole snapped. "I mean, with her magic, she could be cloaked from evil" 

"Is that what you are now Cole?" Jacob said from the couch. Cole turned and eyed Jacob, he never did like him, and now Phoebe seemed so interested in him Cole was even more annoyed and didn't trust this angel, even if he is fallen. Cole shifted his gaze back to Prue and nodded reluctantly. 

"I'll try to find her," Cole told her. "But no promises" 

"Just promise you will try your best," Phoebe said. "that is all we need" Cole nodded and held Phoebe, looking over her shoulder and towards Jacob, who eyed him again from the couch, taking a deep breath of smoke he blew it in Cole's general direction. Pulling back Cole said goodbye again and shimmered away. He was their only hope. 

--- 

In the dark recesses of a hidden laboratory some scientists were having a meeting with government members. A tall dark man stood at the front of the room with a stick in hand ready to present his ideas. 

"I guess you are all wondering why you are all gathered here today," the scientist began. "well, I have as you all know, been working for Iacom for ten years now, and here is the final product of my researchings" He pulled out his projector controller and started up the slideshow. 

"Here you can see normal human blood, we can see the blood cells are perfectly formed," the scientist explained. "now here is the blood of a witch" at the word everyone sighed in the room and began to get up and leave. 

"What why are you all leaving!?" the scientist said shocked. 

"Dr Gillian, this is the last straw, your account will be cut off," one of the government members announced, "we all know here in this room that witches do not exist!" he added. Dr Gillian shook his head and pulled out the photos again. He placed them on the table and began to yell. 

"I am not crazy, these three women, are all real life witches," Dr Gillian began to explain. "I managed to prove this this time, Dr Williamson's expiriments with the Piper Halliwell case ages ago, remember, San Fransisco Memorial, she had a rare blood disease, well they tried to destroy the files but I managed to copy them before all were destroyed, I have the proof now that they are real witches!!" 

"What exactly in that mind of yours Dr did you ever think they were witches!!!" one of the men said picking up a photo. He looked at Prue and smiled. "she is just an attractive woman" 

"This!" Dr Gillian threw another file to the table. "a few years back there were a heap of unsolved cases, here are the files, they all point towards these women, and what makes it worse is an investigator, Andrew Truedeu was covering up for them," he paused for a moment. "and he paid with his death at the hands of a demon!" The men just laughed and one of the ministers placed the folder down throwing it towards Dr Gillian. 

"This is the last straw Gillian, you're fired and I will personally make sure you don't work for any one in this industry again!" with that he slammed the door. Dr Gillian kicked the table and threw the projector to the ground angrilly. Storming off towards his suitcase he opened it and revealed the product he was trying to sell. 

"Syphon Wicca," Dr Gillian said to himself quietly. "you will never see the world" 

"That is where you are wrong" a deep demonic voice said behind him. Dr Gillian nervously turned around and found himself face to face with a half human, half man monstrocity. 

"What the..." before he could speak he was ambushed by thousands of demons, who brought the case of test tubes to their leader. Taking one he looked into the glowing blue liquid and grinned evilly. 

"There is no stopping us now" he said in a deep voice. 

--- 

It was dark now, everyone was asleep other than Prue who was half awake, sitting beside Phoebe who was asleep on the couch. They were taking shifts watching and making sure the Basilisk didn't come inside. For the last few hours it had been rather quiet, and Prue was concerned it was a little to quiet. She decided to turn on the television to keep herself awake but soon found herself tiring again, and as she drifted off, a newsflash came onto the television, grabbing Prue's attention. As Prue shifted Phoebe woke up too and noticed the news on the screen also. 

_"An airbase in California was attacked only minutes ago, as yet we do not know who is behind this act, but we assume it is a terrorist of some sort, possibly wanting to use the airbase for attacks. The US army is nearby ready to attack and move in on the suspects. We cross live for more coverage"_

_"Yes, I am Catherine Berthly and I'm at California Airbase covering the news as it comes. All we know so far is that the suspect has not been identified although it appears not human. Though the Government believes it is probably a hoax or disguise to make us believe they are aliens. Why someone would want to do this is beyond their explainations. Wait a second.... we just got a glimpse of a smaller person, in disguise just moving by the fence here, we will move in to take a closer look"_ Before the reporter knew it, Prue and Phoebe watched as a Basilisk ripped the reporter apart. Prue looked over at Phoebe who shook her head silently. It was then a sound came from behind them, both turned to see Will was standing behind them, drinking a glass of water. 

"Ooooh a fresh blood supply" he said looking at the television screen. "where abouts is this?" 

Prue looked at Will ashamed of his behaviour towards the horrific event that just took place. 

"I can't believe how sick you really are" 

"I can't believe how sick you really are" Will mimiced. "I'm hungry, I have to eat, my food supply is low, I buy blood from the butchers they already think I am a weirdo, I can't exactly go shopping anytime either seeing it is the middle of the night!!!" Prue felt some sympathy for Will and decided to be kind for once. 

"I will buy you some tommorro, that is if we can get out of here" 

"Well I haven't heard a peep from any of those little critters for hours now," Will explained. "I've been awake myself, hungry that is" Phoebe sighed and layed back down. 

"I wonder why they want that airbase?" Prue asked herself. 

--- 

"For this to effectively work we have to bomb five areas of San Fransisco" Joe explained. He turned towards the control panel and began to type in co-ordinates, then turned towards his Basilisk who were standing beside him. 

"Take these and place one within a C4-Bomb, and ready them to be dropped from some fighter jets," Joe paused. "Once this is done, each of you get into a plane and tell me when you are ready to take off" The Basilisk nodded and left immediately. Turning back to the control panel Joe grinned and sat down waiting for his five planes to be ready. Five lights lit up after only minutes and Joe was ready to attack. 

"Okay ready to take off, I am sending you each an area to bomb, drop the bombs in these areas and all the witches of San Fransisco should fall under the virus," Joe laughed to himself as he watched the planes leave the airstrip. "I love chemical warfare" he said to himself. 

--- 

Piper lay quietly in her room, the nurse had just come in and announced it was lights out, and Piper couldn't sleep so she just stared at the ceiling, hoping that her sisters were okay. The silence was hypnotising, and the sounds of occaisional traffic outside was her only connection to the outside world of San Fransisco. She took a deep breath and sighed. _"My headache is better now, why can't I just go home"_ Piper sighed to herself. 

Her thoughts were taken away when the sudden roaring of a air vehicle swarming over the city took over the silence. Piper sat up in bed, too fast she found herself dizzy, after a few moments she looked outside the window and saw two fighter jets fly over the city. Her heart pounded in her chest, causing the pounding again in the back of her head. She blinked a few times, unable to believe what was going on before her very eyes. 

"I sure hope they are our planes" Piper muttered to herself. Just as she spoke one of the planes took a sharp turn and dropped something from its hull, before Piper could register what was taking place she gasped in horror as the bomb landing on the main road below. She screamed and her only instinct was to run away. She didn't care if Basilisk were waiting outside, or Prue's orders, she just knew she had to get out. 

Rushing outside her room she noticed that the nurses had already gotten the alarm and had put on the fire alarm. Patients who could walk were walking as fast as they could, and those who were unable were screaming for help. Piper couldn't help the cries for help and turned back. She rushed towards an elderly person who was wailing in her bed and pulled up a wheelchair and helped her onto it. Piper caught a glimpse of outside, she saw another bomb fall. Piper began to feel the tears of fustration well up in her eyes. 

"I could of frozen them!" she said outloud not even caring if anyone heard. She began to wheelt he elderly person out and towards the closest lift, she came towards the nearest one which was almost full and placed the elderly women inside. 

"Take it from here" she said to one of the patients. They nodded and all of them went down. 

Piper didn't know what had taken hold of her, was it courage that triggered it, or the plea of an innocent, something she had gotten used to protecting after three years of being a witch. She didn't care, and she ran down the corridors looking for more people to help out. 

The planes continued to roar, and she heard a third explosion. It must have been accross the other side of town because the rumble was quieter this time. She prayed that her sisters were safe, and that the planes would not come for her next. She came to a corner and heard a child wailing, turning she bolted towards the child and picked the small boy up in her arms and soothed him. She began to walk back towards the lift when she heard another plane over head. Before she could turn around and see what was coming an explosion thundered before her eyes. Piper's eyes widened in fear as a fireball came directly towards her. 

Without thinking to freeze it she ran, as fast as she could towards the nearest stairwell, but she found herself running directly towards the dead end of a wall and windows. Piper didn't know how high she was from the ground, but knew it was her only way out. Even if she were to freeze the fireball, there would be no way around it. 

She bolted out of the window and found herself free falling with the child in her arms screaming. Piper let out a scream of terror and the rush from the fall creating her whole life before her eyes. "_I'm going to die!"_ Piper screamed in her mind as her scream filling the night air. Her fall seemed like forever, and she closed her eyes waiting for that impact when suddenly arms swooped around her body and she found herself asending back towards the night sky. 

Trembling Piper opened her eyes and saw the child smiling first, then the face of Jacob, who looked as if he were on a mission. She remained silent until they dropped the boy back at the hospital so the nurses could take care of him, Piper escaped with Jacob, as they now needed all three sisters. As she carried Piper through the air Piper began to ponder what was going on; 

"Where are my sisters Jacob?" Piper asked in a quiet and fearful voice. 

Jacob remained silent which was normal for him but Piper was panicking, bad throughts rushing by her and a hundred miles an hour, she had to know, right away. 

"Jacob!" Piper snapped in desperation. 

"The're fine" he said simply. 

"Why didn't you just tell me then Mr Silent Type!" Piper said annoyed and irritated at his personality. 

"I'm sorry, its just things have just gotten worse" Jacob began. 

"What do you mean?" Piper asked now more concerned. 

"I mean this" he said stopping on a roof top. Piper look wide eyed over the city. It was smouldering, ash and smoke clouded the city. Fires ran out of control and the sound of sirens now took the place of the planes roaring overhead not so long ago. It had only been twenty minutes but it was the longest twenty minutes of Piper's life. 

"I heard four bombs drop" Piper said quietly. 

"There was a fifth one," Jacob told Piper in a serious tone. "it hit the street near us" Piper was worried now. 

"My sisters? are they definately safe?" Piper asked concerned. 

Jacob simply nodded and took out a cigarrette and lit it up. "They are keeping low, we believe that this is no coincidence, that the Basilisk are behind this, that Joe is," Jacob explained. "I think they are trying to smoke us out" Piper looked back over the city and at the bombed areas, they seemed so perfectly set up, each area was the accurate distance from the next one. She looked harder, and began to think that this was more than just a flush out of the Charmed Ones. 

"Isn't this a bit to extreme?" Piper began. "I mean look at the bombed areas, it is well planned out" Jacob looked and nodded agreeing. 

"We won't know I guess until tommorro, when it is sunlight, it is difficult to tell anything at the moment" 

--- 

"I hope Piper is okay" Prue muttered to herself. Phoebe nodded agreeing and sat on the sofa in their living room. Prue walked into the kitchen and as she left she yelled back; 

"Coffee anyone?" Phoebe replied yes, but Will declined. 

"I would like some blood though" he said with a wicked grin. Phoebe growled at him and he lept back and fell off the couch. Phoebe burst into laughter and Prue rushed back into the lounge to see what was going on. 

"What's up!?" Prue asked alarmed. 

"It's Will," Phoebe said still giggling. "what a jerk!" Will sat up and rubbed his head and back. 

"Owww!" he whined. Prue began to laugh too, Will soon followed suit. Eventually all laughing died down and everyone turned serious again. 

"That was the first time in days we have been happy" Phoebe commented. Prue nodded and leant on the sofa. They sat and stood in silence for a while, until the whistling of the kettle filled their ears. It sounded for a while, at least five minutes. All three sat frozen, with fear and uncertainty. Finally Prue stood up and turned off the kettle, she slumped against the bench for a while, she hadn't heard Phoebe walk in behind her, or touch her shoulder gently. 

"Prue's I bet she is fine" Phoebe said knowing who Prue was concerned about. Prue sighed deeply and movign away she grabbed a few mugs from the cupboard. 

"I just want her back here, so we are all together," Prue said "safe" 

"I hate the fact that all three of us are seperated," Phoebe commented. "It hurts me too Prue" 

"I'm just scared this time Phoebe," Prue said not looking back over her shoulder towards her sister, she took a few teaspoons of coffee and continued, "I mean, really scared" Prue leant heavilly against the bench, Phoebe had never seen Prue like this before, so afraid. The night sounded from outside the window, the sirens could be heard from the city nearby. It was the cold and harsh reality of what was going on. They couldn't escape this problem, because now innocences were involved. 

"Never before have we faced anything like this" Prue told Phoebe quietly. "it's just I feel so..." Prue tried to find the right word. 

"Hopeless" Phoebe finished. Leading Prue to the kitchen table both sisters sat down and Prue stared down at the table for a while, Phoebe took her hand tenderly in hers. 

"Tommorro we find out who bombed the city, and if it was those little bastards," Phoebe joked slightly. Prue laughed and looked up at Phoebe with a small smile. "I'm sure Jacob will return with Piper soon" It was then Will's voice could be heard from the living room, jumping up Prue and Phoebe entered the room to see Piper being placed on the sofa, she wearilly closed her eyes and touched her throbbing head. 

"Damn bombing!" Piper mumbled. "giving me a damn headache again!" Prue smiled and indicated for Phoebe to grab Piper a pain killer from the kitchen first aid kit. Jacob sat opposite them and lit another smoke and sat and stared. Prue marched up to Jacob and grabbed the smoke and threw it out the window. 

"No smoking in this house Mr!" Prue said shaking her finger, Jacob was going to protest but Prue interupted him; "I don't care if you are an angel either" Jacob grumbled and sat back onto the sofa. Prue sat beside Piper and wrapped her arm around her, Piper opened her eyes and looked at Prue some what confused. 

"What's this?" Piper asked looking at her sister confused. 

"I'm just glad you're alright" 

"Me too" Piper said with a smile. 

The night moved on, and Prue sat up all night waiting for news on the bombing, soon night turned into day, and Prue found herself asleep, and waking to the morning air and daylight presented a new day, there were no more sirens, they had sounded down to the occaisional sound. Moving slightly Prue yawned and stretched before getting up for a shower. Walking upstairs groggilly, she stepped inside the bathroom and placed the shower on. She left momentarilly to get a fresh change of clothes and walked back into the bathroom and locked the door. She undressed and stepped inside the shower and relaxed deeply to the rhythmic drone of hot water. She sighed, finally an escape for a while. 

"Hi georgous" a voice said beside her. Prue turned and found Will standing in the shower beside her. She screamed and covered herself up instantly, rushing out of the shower. Will stuck his head out of the shower door. 

"I was just looking for you, I want my blood remember," Will whined. "I'm starving" He paused and looked at Prue who was covering up with a towel histerically. "you shouldn't be ashamed of your body, you're attractive" he said with a nod. Prue slamed the shower door over his head, causing him to scream out. Instantly Phoebe was at the bathroom door with Jacob. 

"What the?" Phoebe said looking in. She smiled when she noticed Will sticking his head from behind the shower door. "did I interupt something Prue?" she said with a cheeky grin. Prue playfully smacked Phoebe and Jacob out of the doorway and slammed the door. She then turned to find Will still there. "and you" she said indicating the door. She couldn't help but laugh slightly at what had just taken place. She watched Will as he exited and shook her head. 

"Idiot" she said rolling her eyes. 

"Phoebe?" Piper said quietly. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. She was relieved to find her headache was gone, but was in no rush to sit up. Slowly, she sat up, careful not to make herself dizzy and she peered around the room. No one was around. Piper was concerned for everyone, and slowly getting up she began to turn on the television to see if anything had come up on the bombing. Her eyes widened at the horror shown on the screen. Buildings were fallen, and people crawled from the ruins. Piper gasped, feeling guilty and powerless to save any of these innocents. 

She felt a tear slip, and turned at a sudden movement behind her. There stood Phoebe, and Jacob walked by not noticing Piper's anguish, he still commented; 

"Crying will solve nothing" Jacob commented, lighting a cigarette he stood beside the window and peered outside. Smoke covered the daylight sky. Piper turned hurt, then Phoebe brought her attention back to herself. 

"Piper, he is just fustrated" Phoebe said. 

"I don't care, he has no right!" Piper snapped in pain. She felt like going at him. She knew that it was all his fault this was ever happening. For the first time in days she knew where the problem was, it was Jacob. 

"It's your fault you know!" Piper yelled outloud to Jacob. He didn't flinch but stood and stared. "if you had never come into our lives..." 

"If you and your sisters hadn't gotten involved I could have taken care of this" Jacob said his voice quivering in anger. Phoebe had never seen Jacob show any kind of emotion, and it shocked her. The two of them stood staring at each other angrilly. Fustration and helplessness had gotten the best of everyone. Piper turned back towards the television and saw it all again. Television seemed to glorify it, and put it in your face. She began to tremble, and slowly sunk down to her knees. Concerned Phoebe lowered to, and saw Piper's face. The reflections of the television showed in her teary eyes. 

It was then when Will and Prue finally emerged behind them. They stood in silence watching the images, people dying in wreckages, death was the smell in the air. The images took on no sound, they were just echoes and screams for help. Then that chilling moment came when they saw him, they saw the reason behind this attack, the reason they all knew deep inside. It was Joe Blackburn, the beastly, mutant, half man, half beast, Basilisk, standing and laughing. He looked towards the camera, and grabbing it, he threw it aside. The images repeated in their minds. That same cold, and dark stare, was chilling. They had to stop him. 

--- 

A short man paced through the doorway and stopped immediately before the huge marble desk before him. He stood upright and waited to be seated before his associate. With a nod, he sat and looked towards the shadowy figure before him. 

"You call me here for what reason Blackburn?" the man asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice. There was a small silence before Blackburn replied. 

"You know why Holderoff" he said with a smirk on his face. Turning slightly he pressed a remote to open up a doorway, a light switched on and there was a cage, filled with Basilisk. Wildly they scraped at the thick glass, falling from his chair Holderoff, crawled backwards, and eventually stood upright. Looking over at Blackburn alarmed, he then looked over at the beasts again. 

"I didn't believe it was possible Blackburn," Holderoff commented. "I have to give you this much" Blackburn laughed and shut the door. Moving slightly he stared back into Holderoff's eyes. 

"You seem on edge Holderoff?" Blackburn said with a laugh. Standing up Holderoff stood nervously. 

"Well I did just see something that has not existed for centuries," Holderoff commented. "even if it really did I doubted, it was all just superstition" 

"Superstition?" Blackburn said with a chuckle. "that is a lie, because now I recreated them, the list in endless, and the world is ours" Holderoff jumped back alarmed, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Blackburn slowly moved towards Holderoff, keeping in the shadows. 

"You are a mad man Blackburn," Holderoff said with a quivering voice. "I gave you the funds to run this project so we could open up a zoo and make money, not take over the world," Holderoff said with a nervous grin. "I mean, that only ever happens in cartoons, the badguy wants to take over the world, this is insane" Holderoff sat backwards as a slender hand crept out to touch his jacket. Looking down he gulped nervously and traced the contours of his coat. A boney, slender finger traced his jacket, it was scaley, and long, sharpened at the end, so razor sharp it could slice fruit let alone flesh. Holderoff swallowed the lump in his throat, and his heart began thumping at his ribcage. He couldn't move, but watch this finger wander around his rising and falling chest. 

"My god" he whispered as Blackburn stepped into the light. He saw the horrific creature that Blackburn had become. 

"Yes Holderoff, science has created me, and now my plans go further," Blackburn said moving back. He turned and pressed the remote again, footage of the news and the current bombing came up. Holderoff looked at the screen nervously then back at Blackburn. 

"Are you mad!?" Holderoff said aloud. "the Americans are going to blame terrorists for this," Holderoff paused. "me!!!" 

Blackburn smiled and kept the footage rolling as he spoke. "I am a terrorist now Holderoff" 

"What happened to our undercover operations, I mean, I just wanted to make some money, my terrorist days were over" 

"Well now they aren't Holderoff," Blackburn said loudly. Holderoff sunk back into his chair and watched. "these bombings were strategically placed so then the Syphon Wicca Virus could be administered" 

"Syphon Wicca?" Holderoff said confused. 

"Yes, a bio-warfare chemical developed by the mad man Dr Francis Gillian, I have been studying him for a while now, and my mutation was just a good omen for me to grab it from him," Blackburn said with a grin. "he went mad trying to find and destroy the Charmed Ones, he wanted to show that he wasn't insane, I guess he never will" Blackburn said laughing a little. 

"What has this got to do with me?" Holderoff asked. 

"Much," Blackburn replied. "you see, within hours all witches in San Fransisco will become ill with the virus, The Charmed Ones don't know that this is chemical, and it is untracable. They will die, then you will help me out further" 

"Further?" 

"Yes, I will require your funding to breed more creatures, I have begun to breed some other demonic lifeforms but at the moment my funding is low," Blackburn explained. "I need to know you are in on this" 

"What is in it for me?" Holderoff asked. "I don't just do things for nothing, and out of the kindness of my heart" 

"Fifty, fifty, half of the city is yours" 

"Any money?" 

"Yes, I will pay you back a handsome reward" 

"In which figures?" 

"The billions" 

Holderoff sat back with a smirk. "I will help you Blackburn" Holderoff finally replied. 

"Excellent," Blackburn said sitting back. He turned off the report. "everything is falling into place" 

--- 

The Halliwell living room was silent, everyone sat around quietly, not speaking and listening to the news, awaiting new footage and possibly a location for where Joe was operating from. But nothing. Prue sat alone drinking coffee, staring blankly towards the screen, Piper leant against Phoebe, who sighed. Will was sitting on the floor, sipping on a glass of blood, in which Prue managed to get from a piece of fresh meat. Jacob of course sat alone in the conservatory, alone, smoking another cigarrette half way out the window, so he didn't displease Prue. 

Looking out the window he saw the smoke and ash across the sky. "They did their job" Jacob muttered under his breath. He closed his eyes recalling that moment he first met the creatures, that moment they changed his life... 

_"Father, Father!!!"_

It tore him in half, hearing the voices over and over again. He saw the little boy running across the field again, a fishing stick in his hand, and an older man behind with a tackle box. It was wooden, hand carved he recalled. He remembered seeing that tackle box, the river ahead. Leaving the farmyard was a mistake that day. 

_"Mother, Father, I want to go fishing!"_

The boy asked with innocence in his eyes. He begged for his father to take him fishing and mother's permission. 

_"Okay, but be sure to wash up when you get home"_

She said with a warm smile on her face. So gentle so was, her hair was dark, and her eyes were green as emeralds. She had a radient light illuminating her soul towards the outer exterior. 

_"Father, look the river!"_

The boy said again, running towards the bank of the river. It seemed so perfect, so innocent, and so right. It was natural. The river soon turned red, and an agonising scream reached the heavens as a father stood over his fallen son, ripped apart by a wild beast, a beast which was said to be around the farm of the Greenwoods. The father had ignored this and decided to take his son fishing, thinking and believing it would be all right. 

The scream again, was endless and echoed into oblivion, but soon turned into the concerned voice of Phoebe Halliwell. 

"Jacob?" Phoebe asked again. Jacob turned to find himself face to face with a tired looking Phoebe. "Are you alright?" 

"I'm putting it out!" Jacob grumbled putting the cigarette out. "I know I am not supposed to smoke in this house" he droned on. Phoebe shook her head confused. 

"I was just asking if you were alright," she began. "you seemed a little troubled" 

"It's nothing" Jacob lied. He couldn't bring it up, it was too painful. 

"Don't worry, you don't have to talk about it," Phoebe continued. "but were always here to listen" Suddenly a sound alarmed the two of them, turning they hurried into the living room. Instantly they found themselves face to face with a young woman. She had dark hair, and wore a long dark trench coat. She had heavy eye make-up covering her face, and warpaint covered her face in a pattern. Her hair was in dredlocks, and she had dark pants and knee high boots. She looked at Phoebe then Jacob. 

"Long time no see" she said in a deep voice. 

"This isn't about us Bella" Jacob said walking away, Bella followed Jacob though into the conservatory, everyone else followed except for Will who eagerly drank at his blood. 

"I think it is Jacob!!!" Bella said raising her voice. "the last time we saw each other was when you left me" Everyone stood back at the words. Phoebe gave a little smirk and turned to whisper to Prue and Piper. 

"I guess he did have a good reason not to talk about her," she whispered. "he had a crush, that isn't like this guy" 

"I had a good reason" 

"You did?" Bella said loudly, obviously hurt. "what, was it the Basilisk again, did they hurt you again!!!" 

"NO!!!!" Jacob yelled back. He was angry now, hurting deep inside, and everyone could see it now. He took a deep breath and lit a cigarette, storming out of the house he sat down on the steps out front and smoked silently, not looking behind at Bella who now stood at the front door. 

"When are you going to stop Jacob?" Bella asked quietly. "when will you just let go?" 

"Those creatures should not be able to hurt people Bella, they should of just been superstition!" 

"But they weren't," Bella replied. She paused for a moment and looked over at the sisters who stood behind her in the doorway. "that is why the world has these people here Jacob, it is there job to protect people like you" 

"But they didn't did they!!!" Jacob yelled back angrilly. "they took life from me, and I swear by god, I will get my revenge!" Jacob yelled in Bella's direction. He opened his wings furiously and took off in an instance. Everyone watched as the dark angel assended towards the sky. Bella turned around after a short moment and gave the sisters a warm smile. 

"I apoligise, it's just Jacob, he hurt me a long time ago" 

"We can understand" Piper said for her sisters. 

"We have seen alot to understand" 

"Why don't you come inside and we'll talk some more" Prue suggested leading Bella indoors. Walking inside, everyone made their way back in the living room. Will still sat lazilly on the floor sipping. He looked up at Bella as she entered. 

"Hiya!' 

"Hey Will" Bella said not even looking over at Will. Will sighed and sat up on the couch beside Prue. 

"I understand you need my help" Bella enquired. Everyone nodded. 

"Yes," Prue replied. "did Cole tell you about our problem?" 

"He informed me that some Basilisk were on the hunt for you, and that there is a human spawn of the breed" Bella told the sisters. Prue nodded. 

"Well things are alot more complicated, it seems we also have some warfare weapons being used against us," Phoebe began to explain. "there was bombing here last night" 

"Bombing?" Bella replied alarmed. 

"Our problem is our powers are useless against these monsters, we think that our blood was used in them so they are immunized against our powers, like a sheild would" Phoebe explained further. "so we need your help to defeat them" 

"You're the Charmed Ones though, if you can't, what makes you believe I can" 

"Because you are the traditional witch, we need your help to tap into those powers again" Prue replied. "you have to believe us and trust in our judgement" Bella paused for a moment, and quietly nodded. 

"We have to find out where this leader is," Bella began. "this 'offspring' or 'spawn' of Basilisk" 

"That is the first problem, we don't know where to find him" Phoebe replied. It was then the television caught their eye, they all turned to see a reporter outside a government building somewhere. 

_"Reporting from the Garacom Warehouse and Stronghold in California's far east, we have reason to believe that these bombings may be linked to chemical terrorism. The FBI have reason to believe that scientist Dr Francis Gillian, had created a virus called Syphon Wicca, its targets are unknown, but the Virus went missing yesterday, and the body of the scientist was found horrificly murdered. They say it is no cause for alarm yet, and that everyone should stay calm."_

"My god," Piper muttered under her breath. "chemical warfare" 

"And it was aimed for us," Phoebe said turning to Prue. "I hope were weren't infected" 

"We have to leave immediately" Prue said moving through the house to collect her things. Her sisters followed, Piper especially close behind. 

"But Prue, the innocents" 

"Piper, we can't help anyone if we get infected, we could die, then there would be no protectors," Prue explained. "and that is exactly what Blackburn wants" Phoebe was about to protest when Prue silenced her. 

"We have to leave Phoebe, we have to choice" 

"Where to though?" Piper asked confused. 

"The Garacom warehouses" Prue replied. 

--- 

Jacob flew for what seemed for eternity, then finally landed on the top of a church in the center of the city. Turning he looked down into the chapel below, through the stained glass windows. He jumped down, through the windows, until he reached the floor below. No one was around so he let his wings out and stretched. Walking up the center of the isle he looked up at the statue of Christ above him and stopped, and starred. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. 

"Why do you torment me so," Jacob said to himself softly. "why do I live an eternity of pain?" Pausing he looked back up at the statue, and begin to feel the tears threatening to fall again, just like the day his nightmare began. 

_"Father look the river"_

The little boy ran towards the river, he laughed, he played. Father walked behind, tackle box in his hand. He laughed at his son, and they reached the river side. 

_"This is so much fun father!"_

The sparkle lit up the boys eyes, he blinked in slow motion, his smile, his breath, so innocent. 

_"I love you father"_

The words rang in Jacob's ears like a nightmare, it echoed through his mind and heart. He began to cry opening and looked down to the floor. Clenching his fists he saw it again, the blood, the smell, was all to vivid. He stood up, his veins popping into his temples, and his heart thumped angrilly in his body. 

"Why do you do this to me!!!!" Jacob screamed. "I abandoned heaven for love, I loved him so much! I would give anything to be with him!!!" Jacob began to cry again, his pain was overwhelming, but this was the punishment heaven gave him. He stopped after a while and finally falling to his knees and began to pray, muttering under his breath, the words he so much wanted to tell God. Finally dropping his hands he looked up at Christ again. 

"Just tell me something God," Jacob said in a quiet voice. "why, if you died for so many do so many still suffer?" Jacob, blinked and looked downwards. A voice sounded behind him, he turned and looked to see Phoebe behind him. She gave a warm smile before moving towards Jacob. 

"Bella told me that you would be here," Phoebe began. "she wanted me to talk to you" 

"About what?" Jacob snapped. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "nothing is bothering me" 

Phoebe stood hurt, and finally came up with the words she was looking for. 

"Okay, we are leaving town for our own safety, we are no use to anyone if this is chemical warfare" Phoebe said trying to to alarm Jacob. Jacob looked at Phoebe somewhat troubled, and shocked to hear that she would even think this way. 

"You're going to abandon everyone?" 

"I'm sorry Jacob, we have to stop the source of the problem, and we can't do that dead" Phoebe said quietly. She moved towards Jacob and held out her hand. "please come with us," Phoebe told Jacob barely above a whisper. "we all need you" 

Jacob remained silent, except for the occasional suck of his smoke. He closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. "Do you need me?" he said finally. Phoebe was shocked, and narrowed her eyes trying to figure out what Jacob was trying to say to her. She remained quiet, trying to look for the right response. 

"Yes" she whispered under her breath so softly. She shifted to move towards Jacob's lips, as Jacob moved towards her, dropping his cigarette, he wrapped an arm around Phoebe's head gently. Embracing them shared a long and passionate kiss. It seemed to last for eternity, they both pulled away and looked into each others eyes. Jacob turned away immediately apoligising. 

"I'm sorry" he muttered. Turning he put out the cigarette on the ground and walked away. Phoebe stood confused. She couldn't believe what had taken place. _"Do I still love Cole? Or do I love Jacob now?"_ Phoebe thought to herself. She felt so confused. So hurt. 

"Phoebe?" a voice said from behind her. She turned to find Piper rushing towards her. Phoebe didn't response so Piper waved her hand in front of Phoebe's face. 

"Earth to Phoebe!?" Piper said with a smile. Phoebe finally looked at Piper, some what dazed. "what's the matter?" 

"Nothing Piper," Phoebe said with a smile. "let's just go kick some demonic evil butt!" wrapping her arm around her sister, they two left the church arm in arm. 

--- 

_"Today we fight our darkest day in history. It will be a time for all Americans to stand tall, with their freedom in hand to face the onslaught of terrorism. on the 16th of November of 2001, there was an attack on San Fransisco. Though many lives were not lost, there is still the risk of loss to come. Chemicals were implanted within those missiles, and those chemicals are lethal to those who are human._

_Kind hearted, and with a free heart we are terrorists are after people like us, and now is a time we must stand up and face these evil doers and tell them that we are Americans, and that we will prevail"_

- George W Bush, Message to the Nation at 3:00, the in Afternoon, the day after the bombing took place. 

_"We have to leads at the moment, but know this thing, this terror still looms out there, and we must find it, slay it, and bring it down to Earth"_

- San Fransisco Times, the morning after the attack. 

_"We are pleased to say we have out leads, and one of those leads lie within our own great city. Pruedence, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell, all seen at the scenes of terrorist acts recently around the city. From the Zoo's research laboratories and the local shopping complex. We know they are involved and will not cease until we have them in our custody"_

- The Local Mayer of San Fransisoc, 10:30, that morning... 

"We have been driving for hours Prue and haven't even reached destination 'Kill Demon'" Phoebe muttered. Piper sighed and layed back in the front seat. Will sat between Jacob and Bella in the far back seats, whilst Cole was beside Phoebe. They had been listening to the radio all morning and just heard that the mayer was after them now. 

Will was able to leave the house during the day thanks to a spell by Bella, a sheild to sheild him from the sunlight. For the first time in hundreds of years he had seen sunlight directly and was beginning to enjoy it. Looking out the window he grinned and starred straight into the sun. He blinked getting blinded. 

"Wow, I forgot how exciting it is to get blinded by the sunlight" Will muttered to himself. Jacob moved aside, getting annoyed. Eventually he flung Will from his lap. He sat and sulked. 

"Great now we have America after us," Phoebe muttered. "all we need now is the FBI" 

"We have them after us too Phoebe" Piper commented. 

"So what are we going to tell them come quesiton time," Phoebe began. "are you a witch!?" she mimiced sarcasiticly. Piper laughed slightly, but straightened her face when Prue looked at her sternly. 

"We have to stay positive, that is the only thing we can do at the moment" 

"Is that it?" a voice said behind them, Cole was pointing out the window towards a large building beside them. Everyone turned their gaze, on the side of the large building it said: "Garacom Warehouses" there was alot of security around the building. It would be tough getting inside. 

Stopping the Jeep, everyone got out. They stood behind the car, watching and thinking of a way on getting inside. Prue then indicated for everyone to get down, she began to draw a map in the dirt and gravel with a stick. 

"We will split up," Prue announced. "Piper, you go with Will, I'll go with Bella, and Phoebe you go with Jacob and Cole" 

Cole looked up and eyed Jacob again, and moved aside. Prue was alarmed at Coles reaction but shrugged it off. 

"Phoebe, you take your group around the back of the warehouse, Piper and Will, the front to distract the security, and I will go with Bella to turn of security cameras so Phoebe's group can sneak inside" 

"That sounds like a plan" Phoebe announced eagerly. 

"Yeah, you're not the bait at least Phoebe" Piper growled. 

"Piper, just get going" Prue snapped getting impatient. Moving away Piper and Will made their way towards the front of the building, whilst the others assumed their positions. 

"I can't believe I'm teamed with a vampire" Piper muttered to herself. Will heard though. 

"It's not that bad, just think, the worst I could do is bite you" Will said licking his lips. Piper growled and raised her hand to slap him across his whiney, boned face. Will ducked and begged for Piper to back off. 

"Please, I'm sorry!" 

"Baby!" Piper said pulling her hand back. She continued towards the foyer where some security guards were waiting. Several guards stood around drinking some coffee and smoking. 

"So, how was the football last night?" one of the guards asked. 

"Great, but that bombing would have gotten ratings," the other guard replied. "I heard a woman jumped from a hospital building, there was a photo in the paper this morning. A tourist was taking photo's of the city at night when they got this shot" he held up a news paper showing the photo of Piper falling in the background. Piper noticed it from a short distance and pulled Will back behind a corner. 

"They'll recognise me!" Piper said panicking. 

"It's not like your famous for being a witch here Piper!" Will said. "you jumped from a building" 

"Lucky they didn't get Jacob in the photo saving me" 

"Hey look at this, there is a figure flying here, he has wings!" one of the guards pointing out excitedly. 

"Great, you had to jinx it didn't you" Piper said poking at Will's shirt. Will gulped and peeped around the corner. 

"Just walk up casually and say we are lost, and if they ask you just say it was a near death experience" Will said with a goofy grin. 

"And how do I explain that I lived!!!?" Piper blasted at Will. The guards overheard the yelling and picked up the guns pointing them towards where Will and Piper were now frozen. 

"Whoever is there, please show yourself" Piper looked over towards Will who shrugged and moved out, Piper panicked. 

"Freeze!" one of the men yelled out. Piper jumeped out instantly freezing the guards. 

"Okay!" she said with a small grin. "are you trying to get killed!!?" Piper yelled at Will. 

"I'm already dead" Will said simply. 

"Oh yeah" Piper replied embarressed. She watched as Will walked calmly towards the officers, and followed close behind. They reached the door and it was then Piper noticed some guards coming around the corner. 

"Guards!" Piper yelped pulling Will back. The guards heard the sudden movement and pulled out their weapons. Ducking down Piper pulled with down with her. He grinned cheekilly at her. 

"Not now Piper, I know you sisters love me" Will said with a grin. Piper slapped him, and the slap echoed off the walls of the foyer. 

"We know you're in here somewhere," one of the men announced. He reloaded his gun to show he was serious. "show yourselves at the count of ten" Piper swallowed hard and noticed there was cleaner on the other side of the foyer, and beside him was a vaccum cleaner. It was already plugged in, and she had a plan. 

Turning to Will she pointed out the vaccum cleaner. He nodded but shrugged having no idea what she wanted to do. Piper indicated for him to stay quiet and to throw something to pre-occupy them. Will nodded and looked about frantically. Reaching up he searched the desk, his hand scanned the desk, carefully, but he knocked over a vase. Shattering, the men noticed his hand and shot at it. 

"Ahhhh!" Will winced pulling his hand back. Piper looked at him annoyed and grunted. 

"You idiot!" Piper whispered angrilly. 

"My hand!' Will whined. "look they shot it" he said holding up the hand. There was little more than a scratch on it. Piper smacked her hands against him wildly, then froze as they heard footsteps right near them. 

"Now what smart arse?" Piper whispered annoyed. Will nodded and stood up, the men stood back, but held their guns at bay. Piper smacked her head against her hand annoyed. 

"Hi guys" Will announced. 

"Freeze" one of the men said, as Will slowly moved aside. Putting up his hands Will kept moving but the policemen held the guns tighter. "stop, or we'll shoot" Will dropped his arms slowly, which caused the policemen to aim their guns even harder. 

"I'm not going to hurt you," Will said slowly. "I come in peace" 

"And you'll come in pieces if you don't surrender to us" the policemen announced. 

"I already have to coot!" Will said annoyed. They lifted the guns up and rested them fingers firmly on the trigger. "okay I'm sorry, but I have something important to tell you" Will said moving towards them. The policemen looked at Will suspiciously, but soon lowered their guns. 

"Okay, this better be important" one of the policemen replied. Will slowly moved towards the policemen and whispered into the lead ones ear. 

"I'm a vampire" he whispered. Moving back, he transformed into his vampiric form, his eyes bulged from his head, which swelled into a fierce animalistic glare. He hissed deeply, instantly causing the security guard to fall backwards. Pulling his gun he began to fire shots, but Will jumped and stuck to the room, hissing towards the two guards, he began to claw at them agressively, trying to hold them off. 

Piper noticed Will's position and that his so called plan had failed. "I've always gotta get you out of trouble" she muttered getting upright, as she did the policemen noticed her and as they turned to shoot at her, Will jumped down and clasped down on one of the guards bare necks. He screamed in pain, and blood stained as it poured down his neck. The other policeman, dropped his gun in fear and ran out of the foyer screaming for help. Piper sighed and smacked her forehead lightly again. 

"Will!!" Piper snapped grabbing Will. He pulled away from the young mans neck, blood poured down his fangs and face. Wiping the blood away he grinned. 

"Wha?" 

"Prue never said kill the guards, just distract" Piper said waving her hands about. Will grumbled and whined. 

"I was hungry," he whined. "Prue thinks a small about of animal meat blood will fill me," Will said with a laugh. "well this is a feast' 

"It is also a person" Piper muttered. "an innocent to be more exact, I am supposed to protect them!" she lifted her fist and Will moved back hunching down into a ball he trembled. Piper moved back upright surprised that a vampire would be so afraid of her. After all he could just bite her if he wished. She shook the thought and helped Will up. 

"At least we did our job," she said with a smile. "it was one hell of a distraction" Will stood proudly and turned back into his human form. 

"Thank you very much" he said standing proudly. 

"I just hope Prue made it inside" Piper muttered. Behind her Will slowly moved towards the corpse of the guard, Piper knew he was about to bite the man again and interupted him; "don't even think about it" she said not even looking back. Will stood up casually ignoring the man and the bounty of blood which lay on the floor. 

--- 

Prue and Bella snuck around another corner after noticing one of the guards moving away from the doorway. Apparently he got a call from the front end foyer, a supposed 'vampire' attack. Prue rolled her eyes and Bella gave her a quick grin. As they walked along the corridor, Prue decided to find out more about Bella. 

"So you're a witch?" Prue asked. 

"Yes" Bella replied. There was a short silence before Bella added anything else. "and I was in love with Jacob" Prue frowned, and looked up ahead, unable to make direct eye contact. 

"I'm sorry, I was just curious, you know, a stranger like him in love, I just couldn't see that happening" 

"Once he had a heart, he doesn't anymore though" Bella told Prue quietly. They stopped seeing a guard walk past suddenly. Standing against the wall, Prue let out a sigh of relief then turned to Bella again. 

"Before what?" Prue asked quietly. 

"Before they returned," Bella replied quickly. "the Basilisk, he was obssessed, he would always change the subject when we spoke about his family, he is obssessive over these creatures and would do anything to kill them," Bella explained. "that is what he lives for" 

"For what though, lonliness...?" 

"Try telling him that, he is just kidding himself," Bella explained almost close to tears, for both her and Jacob. "I could have loved him, if he had of just let me in" 

"I'm sure he still cares about you" Prue said touching Bella's shoulder tenderly. Bella gave Prue a small grin, then they found their passage clear. As they were about to go, Prue suddenly began to cough over and over again. Bella looked at her concerned and patted her on the back as her coughing ceased slowly. 

"Are you alright?" Bella asked concerned. Prue felt her lungs begin to burn, but pushed on. 

"Let's go" Prue announced leading Bella along. 

Not far behind Phoebe had begun to make her way towards the conference room where Dr Gillian was last reported to be before he was so brutally murdered. All three were silent, but the tension was in the air. Cole glaned, narrow eyed at Jacob as if he was a lion stalking its prey, waiting for a slip up. Jacob, didn't turn his head, instead he lit another cigarette and continued walking. 

Phoebe had a thousand thoughts rushing by her ears, so many she couldn't grasp any of them. '_Do I love Cole, or Jacob? Why would I love Jacob, I barely know him and does he even love me?'_ Phoebe looked over at Jacob and sighed to herself inside. _'I can't work him out. He is just so....' _Phoebe tried to think of the word, when she was interupted by a voice ahead. 

"Stranger," a man said with a laugh. "how are you going?" 

"Whose calling who stranger," the other man replied. "I was the one trying to contact you lately" The two men shook hands and began a conversation. Jacob pulled Phoebe back with him behind the wall. Feeling so close to Jacob made her shiver. She felt his heaving chest and heartbeat against her back and neck. For a dead man he was quiet healthy, and his good looks were to match. _'If he only lost the beard and moustache' _Phoebe thought to herself with a small grin. She then noticed Cole looking at the both of them. Phoebe pulled away anxiously not wanting to let her attractions on. Cole was snarling inside. They waited until the two guards were gone, then found the entrance into the conference room. 

On entering Cole noticed a sign on the wall; _'No smoking'_ walking up towards Jacob he picked the smoke from his lips and threw it aside putting it out. 

"No smoking in here bud" he said raising an eyebrow. Jacob didn't respond. He was to stressed to say anything, and shrugged Cole's hostility off. Scanning the tables they saw the blood on the floor, and the remains of a projector scattered around the room. Whatever killed him killed him good, his remains were butchered. Without uttering a single word they searched the room, but found nothing. Phoebe threw aside a chair fustrated; 

"We can't find a damn thing!" Phoebe said aloud. Cole moved towards her to comfort her but she moved aside. "Cole nothing can help me out now..." Phoebe defeated slumped down into a seat and let out a deep sigh. Phoebe never gave up on anything but Cole could see she was utterly defeated this time. 

"If its any constellation it isn't your fault Phoebe" Cole began. 

"But it is Cole," Phoebe replied. "if I hadn't of gotten involved..." 

"What do you mean by that?" Cole replied astonished. "this freak was the one who got you involved" Cole added. "you were just doing your job!" 

"Yes Cole, and I still am!" Phoebe replied harshly. "what has gotten into you?" she asked looking directly into Cole's eyes. Cole narrowed his eyes not taking his gaze from Phoebe's. 

"What has gotten into you?" Cole said quietly, looking over at Jacob as he spoke. Phoebe turned and shook her head amazed. She was about to reply when a voice sounded behind them. 

"Phoebe!" Prue yelled from behind the door, she coughed slightly, pretending to clear her throat. "we have to get out of here, the alarmed is about to go..." the alarm sounded off, Phoebe rushed towards Prue and Bella, Cole and Jacob close behind. Rushing out of the corridor Phoebe stopped as she noticed something on the floor. Blood. Prue stopped and turned around. 

"Phoebe!?" she yelled anxiously. 

"Prue, a trail" Phoebe said pointing out the blood. Prue looked in amazement. 

"I guess we found our clue" Prue announced. They followed the trail of blood outside, and noticed it was going towards the forest nearby. Prue turned, coughing a little and looked towards Piper who was driving the jeep towards them. Stopping they all jumped inside, and Prue directed Piper towards the blood stains moving into the forest. They drove for what seemed to be forever, finally stopping deep in the forest, they decided to set up a camp for the night. 

With the spare blankets in the back of the jeep, they settled down, Jacob and Will offered to sleep outsidet he jeep, not under any blankets, seeing they were dead or undead anyway. 

Laying beside Prue, Piper sat through the night, listening to her sisters disturbing wheezing beside her. Prue never usually wheezed like this and it bothered her. She coughed every now and again, shifting uneasily in her sleep. Piper was concerned deeply, and Will had noticed this. Moving towards Piper he sat beside her, she turned to look at him. 

"You're worried aren't you?" Will asked. Piper nodded quietly. 

"She's sick isn't she?" Piper could only say. Will couldn't reply, he didn't know what sick was anymore. 

"I'm sure she'll be fine, what ever it is" Will commented with a warm smile. Piper felt comfort with Will, and accept a hug from him. She missed not having Leo around when times were tough. She could only wonder when he would return, but for now, she knew she would be just fine for now. 

--- 

Continued in The Outsider: Syphon Wicca   
  
  
  



	3. The Outsider: Syphon Wicca

**The Outsider - Syphon Wicca**

Piper didn't she tossed and turned with worry over her sister, who had relentlessly wheezed throughout the night. She sat up early the next morning, trying to start a fire so they could at least heat up some coffee and tea she had in the glove box. Phoebe stirred to the sound of the fire crackling and opening her eyes the first thing she saw was Piper hunched over the fire. Her head was hanging down, she took a deep breath and sighed. 

"Piper?" Phoebe whispered. Piper turned and looked away again. "What's wrong?" Phoebe got up slowly and made her way over towards the fire. Sitting beside Piper she pulled the blanket she had up around herself to protect her skin from the morning chill. 

"Look for yourself" Piper said indicating the prone form aside from her. Phoebe looked over towards the jeep to see Prue laying in the backseat wheezing, and coughing in fits. Phoebe turned to face Piper again who was now shaking her head. "no one gets that sick so quickly" 

"You think it is the chemical that was in those bombs don't you?" 

"Well we don't know what it was yet," Piper replied. "and it just seems to ironic that she has gotten this sick so quickly" Phoebe couldn't help but agree deep inside. Whatever it was they had to get her to a doctor, and sometime soon. Phoebe wandered over and shook Jacob softly. Jacob muttered and sat up slowly. He spread his wings and lit a cigarette immediately. Cole opened his eye slightly aside from the two. _"Why didn't she wake me up first?"_ he thought to himself. Closing his eyes as Phoebe looked over at him he growled to himself. 

Phoebe slapped Jacob in the hand softly. 

"Don't you ever stop smoking?" Phoebe asked. "it's bad for you, it can cause Lung Cancer" 

"I'm dead, do I care?" Jacob snapped back roughly. Phoebe pulled back and watched as Jacob hopped down and tapped Will on the back softly. Will stirred but didn't wake up. Annoyed and impatient Jacob decided to kick him, sending him flying a few metres. Will moaned and sat up slowly. 

"What was that for you moron?" Will said angrilly. Jacob didn't reply. Piper watched the whole scene from a short distance away. When Will didn't get a response, he was about to hit Jacob when Bella walked in. 

"Good morning?" she said stretching again. She had gotten up before everyone so she could get some food from the forest. She could sense the tension in the air. "what's wrong?" 

Before Will could respond, Piper interupted. 

"Prue is sick, we have to get her to a hospital" Piper said bluntly. Bella turned and looked inside the jeep. Prue was pale, and sweating badly. Her wheezing accompanied the rising and falling of her very shallow breathing. 

"You're right" Bella commented. She went to the car and prepared to transport Prue to the hospital. Whilst Bella checked up on Prue, Phoebe turned to the others remembering the problem at hand. 

"Whose going to track down Joe?" Phoebe asked. Before Jacob could even answer Cole's voice was heard. 

"I will," Cole offered immediately. He eyed Jacob across from him, then looked at Phoebe. "I will need help though" he said looking directly at Phoebe. Phoebe wanted to be with her sister, but knew what Cole was thinking. She looked over at Jacob slightly, who was standing aside smoking in the cold morning air. Will stood shivering aside from him. Smiling Phoebe looked back over at Cole and presented her response. 

"Jacob can go with you" Phoebe said with a grin. Cole's mouth dropped a mile at least. Shocked he tried to argue back but found himself stuck with Jacob, alone in the forest. The air was tense again. Cole wanted to rip Jacob apart but restrained himself for now. They had a job to do. 

--- 

Piper sat alone in the waiting room. It was so quiet she could only hear the ticking of the clock on the opposite wall. It annoyed her. She began to tap her finger nails against the arm rests to the ticking sound. _'Tick' 'Tick'_ Over and over again the sound rang in her ears. She blinked back her fustrations and looked over at the door where Phoebe had dissappeared into. She had left for the cafeteria, not too long ago. Will was whining about being hungry so the two left for food. Bella sat a couple of seats from Piper. She stared into nothing, only looking away for a few moments at a time. 

_'I wonder if this is what it is like to be 'alone'?' _Piper thought to herself. Weird thoughts popped into her head. She never thought like this, but for the first time in ages she felt so alone. She wished Leo was with her at that moment. To wrap his arms around her slender body to give her a warm feel of comfort. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice. She opened her eyes and saw a nurse standing in front of her. She had a frown on her face. Piper could read it all over the younger womans face, she had bad news. 

"Are you Ms Piper Halliwell?" 

"Yes" Piper replied not showing emotion. 

"Well the doctor has some news for you, if you would like to come this way" the nurse led Piper towards a door. Just as Piper stood up Phoebe re-entered the waiting room, and immediately was at Piper's side. Will and Bella stood aside and listened in. 

"Is she okay?" Phoebe asked Piper, wanting answers. Piper didn't answered, she stayed in her own world. 

"Come this way, Ms Halliwell" the nurse indicated. Piper and Phoebe were led to Prue's room. She was hooked up to an IC unit. She wasn't well, as she had to breath with the aid of a machine. Phoebe began to feel the tears roll down her cheeks, but refused to cry at the point in time. She wasn't dead yet, she was just having problems breathing, Phoebe reminded herself. Piper stood motionless, a blank expressionless face. 

A doctor approached the sisters, and shook Phoebe's hand immediately, Piper stood on the side, unable to speak. 

"I'm Dr Thompson, Prue Halliwell's doctor, I have some news regarding her condition" 

"Which is doctor?" Phoebe asked anxiously. The doctor sat Piper and Phoebe down at a table in Prue's room. Piper looked down at the table grimly, Phoebe awaited the doctors verdict. 

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but, it seems your sister has been poisoned in the bloodstream" he began to explain. Phoebe covered her mouth immediately, Piper kept looking at the table. 

"Will she recover?" Phoebe immediately asked. 

"We don't know" the doctor replied grimly. 

"How can you not know!!?" 

"We have never treated anything like this, we are trying though, our hardest to keep the poison at bay" the Doctor said with a fake determined voice. Piper could sense that Prue was in real danger, it was gut wreching, and she felt herself begin to panic. Phoebe looked over at Piper who was still staring into the table as she thought her thoughts. 

"Thank you Doctor" Phoebe responded for both her and Piper. The Doctor slowly got up and left. The room was now silent. Bella turned to Will feeling the awkwardness and whispered in his ear; 

"We better give them space" Will nodded and Bella left. Will lingered for a moment and slowly walked up to Piper. Standing behind her he placed his cold hand onto her back. Piper felt the chilling touch, but didn't flinch or move. Will sighed deeply. 

"I'm sorry Piper" Will said with a frown. It was the first time in years that he had felt a human emotion, or connection to another person like this. Piper closed her eyes tightly releasing a single teardrop. It slid from her eye down her slender cheek to rest upon the table. Will turned around and left without a sound. 

Phoebe remained motionless, and she knew she had to talk to Piper. She hadn't realised how seriously ill Prue was going to get. She thought it was just a cold, but it wasn't. He starred at Piper for a moment, until she found the right words to say. 

"Piper?" Phoebe said gently. "please speak to me" 

Piper didn't look up but remained motionless. 

"Piper, I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner, you had every right to be worried" 

Piper shook her head and placed a fist heavilly on the table. Phoebe looked down to see it was clearly shaking. Phoebe placed her hand over Piper's. 

"I can't lose her Phoebe," Piper whispered in a quivering voice. "we need her" 

"Of course we need her Piper," Phoebe said wrapping an arm around Piper. She flinched away, she wouldn't accept this was happening. She looked over at Prue who was breathing heavilly with the help of the machine. Walking up to her helpless sister she grasped her hand and sunk towards it, thinking to herself; _"Please don't leave me... I can't take your place"_

--- 

Deep in the forest Jacob and Cole had been walking ages, following the trail of blood left in the forest. They remained silent, Jacob's thoughts focused purely on the task at hand and Cole's on Jacob. His jealousy and anger were rising and his blood was boiling. He could just kill him there and then, but Phoebe would hate him. If it was accidental though... 

Cole chuckled at his own thought, which caused the angel to turn and eye him suspiciously. 

"What's so funny?" 

Cole looked at him wide eyed and composed himself, back towards the task. 

"Nothing" 

Jacob knew it was him, and stopped to light a cigarette. Cole screwed up his nose stopping, and was about to say something when a putrid smell of blood invaded his nostrals. He gagged. Even in all his years working for the bad guys, he had never smelt anything as horrific as that smell. 

Jacob didn't even flinch, but noticed Cole's uneasiness. 

"Is it hard to be half mortal?" he said to Cole, with a slight smirk. Cole felt like ripping this angel apart, after all, his relationship with Phoebe was at stake, he couldn't be beaten by an 'angel' 

"Something's nearby," Cole began to sniff the air. "a body perhaps?" Jacob, left his cigarette in his mouth and walking slowly through the dense forest, following the flood towards a tree. They gasped at the sight of a guttered man, his intestines and stomach hung from his bloodied body, and his face wasn't even recognisable. 

Cole casually walked up to the body and looked at the branch embedded through the victims chest. 

"Cause of death," Cole announced. "branch through the gut," he paused and grimaced. "that's gotta hurt" Jacob was getting annoyed at Cole, and without speaking he immediately looked over the body. Scratch marks were evident all over his body, and they were still bleeding. The body had been there for at least a day though, Jacob concluded. 

He leant over, putting out the cigarette in his mouth and opened the victims eyes, his eyes were yellow, and pained. Jacob sighed and turned to Cole. 

"The work of a Basilisk" 

"You mean the demonic roosters right?" 

"Yeah, you should know demon boy" Jacob said with a hint of sarcasm. Cole clenched his fists, he was energising himself ready to attack Jacob when there was a sound behind them. 

_Snap!!!_

Cole and Jacob slowly turned around, and looked into the dense bush and grass. Cole listened carefully, his adrenaline pumping through his veins he awaited that next movement so he could attack. Cunning, and quit witted, Cole stepped back, charging up his hand for his assult. His eyes darted frantically about, searching the dense green bush, for a target. A moment, would suddenly flicker, and some long field grass would shift as something moved freely by. 

Jacob stood, listening, but to Cole's utter surprise, he pulled out another cigarette and lit it casually. Placing it in his mouth he took a few puffs and pulled it away, letting the smoke fill the morning air. Cole grew angry with Jacob, and was about to open his mouth when something bolted straight for him. 

Yelling in shock, Cole shimmered out of its path, and watched as it raced just inches for Jacob's head. The creatures deadly skin and oils narrowly burning the small wiskers on his chin. Jacob's eyes followed its trail, and Cole watched as the creature moved back into the bushes. 

"Why don't you kill that thing if you such a good hunter?" Cole snapped at Jacob. Jacob didn't reply, instead he kept smoking casually. 

Cole turned to find the demon moving towards him again, this time he threw an evergy ball, but it landed with a bang on the tree behind the hairy lizard. 

"Damn it!!!" Cole yelled in fustration. He watched as the creature moved yet again towards Jacob, he didn't even flinch as he moved by him again. Cole was at breaking point as he defended himself once again from its relentless attacks. As the Basilisk moved away again, Cole took the moment to aim an energy ball at Jacob, and with a mighty swing he moved towards the motionless angel when. 

A sword. 

Cole stopped inches from the metal plade which had been pulled out in seconds. Jacob still with the smoke from his lips, puffed again, then dropped it onto the ground, putting it out with his foot. Cole watched the sword not taking his eyes away. 

The angel held the sword towards Cole, then as the Baslisk came back by again, in a spilt instant, Jacob turned and sliced it to the ground. Cole was barely able to follow his actions. 

Calmly, Jacob placed the sword back in its holding on his back and closed his wings over it. Cole watched in shock, and looked into the dark angels cold eyes. He was a killer, and would perhaps remain this way. 

"You think these wings way this way for decoration?" Jacob commented to Cole as he walked by. "next time I won't miss" 

Cole's mouth dropped, as he watched Jacob dissappear into the forest. He heard the voice add something else. 

"You're thoughts betray you Cole" Jacob added. 

--- 

Piper sat staring at the wall again. Phoebe was watching her fearfully, unable to get through to her scared sister. She knew she was scared, the nervous twitching of her lips, the tapping on her hands on her lap. She remained passive, frozen, and isolated from the world, but her body knew otherwise. 

Bella and Will were in the room too. It was a small room, but they were barely noticable. The vampire lay slumped over a chair on the opposite side of the room, trying to block out the scent of blood in the hospital. He was so hungry, the meat Prue had provided wasn't enough, he had to have more. He looked up for a second, and blinked. Prue still lay immoble on the bed, breathing heavilly. His gaze wandered to Phoebe. She seemed relaxed seeing the circumstances. 

He looked over towards Piper. She was starring into the white walls of the room. She seemed so lost, and afraid. One thing that Will had learnt over the years is how to sense fear. He could taste it. 

Bella paced around the room, occaisionally glancing over at Prue's form, then towards Phoebe to make sure she was alright. Phoebe couldn't stand the tense atmosphere anymore, and looked up at Bella. 

"You're both better off helping Jacob and Cole" she stated quietly. Bella stopped and nodded, pushing some of her dred locks from her face. Will sat upright and licked his lips. 

"Not before I get a snack though, I'm starved" Will said without thinking. It was so quick Will never saw it coming. Piper had him by the throat against the wall. He shook him in her trembling hands, the tears falling from her eyes. Will looked into her angered eyes. The fear, and the hatred seemed to vibrate from her harsh glance. 

"Now dare you think about drinking blood at a time like this" Piper said in a cold voice. 

Phoebe got up and moved towards her sister, in a vain attempt to break them up. 

"Piper, please" Phoebe begged. 

"Don't come near me!" Piper said without looking at Phoebe. Phoebe tried to reason again, but Piper put out her hand towards Phoebe. 

"Come near me and I will" Piper said getting madder. Phoebe knew her powers were controlled by emotion, so immediately her priority was to calm her sister down. Bella was getting anxious now, getting up she moved towards the action. 

"Piper, please, you have to calm down or..." 

"I'll do something I'll regret?" Piper asked Phoebe. Her younger sister nodded and carefully reached out for Piper's arm and pulled it down gently. Piper released her grasp on Will's throat sending him falling to the floor with a thud. She turned and rushed out of the room. She had to get out of there, the tension was just too much. 

Piper ran and ran down the halls. Her whole world was blocked out. The mind numbing thuds of her footsteps as they hit the floor. Each on echoed silence, deafening, thuds. The young witch crumpled to the floor eventually, and looking downwards limply she cried. Tears spilling onto the floor. Phoebe watched from a safe distance and turned to Will and Bella. 

"Go," she whispered breathlessly. "I have to stay here and keep our family together" The vampire, and witch nodded silently and left the hospital to aid in the face of combat. Phoebe could only stare, and wonder, what was eating away at Piper? Nothing had happened yet, and Phoebe was trying to keep a lid on the situation, but all she could see was her sister, crying on the hospital's tiled flooring, with nurses and staff members now gathered around her. _"Why don't I help her?"_ Phoebe thought to herself. She couldn't force herself though, instead she turned to look at Prue laying in the hospital bed, breathing heavilly. 

"Prue?" Phoebe whispered quietly, a tear swimming down her cheek. 

--- 

"We have been looking for two damn hours!" Cole yelled angrilly. He stopped and crossed his arms. Jacob paused and pulled out yet another cigarette and lit it. After a few moments of puffs he turned to face Cole. 

"We have to remain calm" 

"Calm!!" Cole yelled shocked. He stood back and looked at the fallen angel with much surprise. Jacob rustled his black feathered wings and looked over at Cole waiting for more. "Phoebe was almost killed..." 

"But she wasn't," Jacob began. "besides it was her own fault.." Jacob began to walk away until Cole stopped him dead in his tracks. 

"What do you mean by that Jacob!!?" Cole said with anger quivering his voice. "she would never get herself involved on purpose" 

"I told her not to help me," Jacob snapped back. "I work alone" 

"Well that is what you should do now," Cole said stopping again. He watched as Jacob stopped in his tracks. "work alone angel" Cole said with a grin. "hope nothing kills you?" he added in an innocent voice. Jacob dropped his cigarette as Cole shimmered away. Putting it out firmly with his shoe he looked around before opening his wings. 

"I was getting sick of that guy anyway" Jacob said taking off into the late morning air. 

---   
  
  
  



End file.
